Family bonds are supposed to be as strong as a rock, but the truth is that they can be as fragile as a thread. Sometimes, it only takes a single mistake for bridges to be burnt and relationships to be ruined, even for good.
As Ann and John’s wedding anniversary approached, they were excited to celebrate it with their lovely daughter and their loved ones. Among those people, however, wasn’t John’s father who had abandoned John and his mother when John was just seven.
Over the years, they had no contact, although the father tried reaching out during several occasions, such as prior to John’s wedding and on the day John’s daughter was born.
This was another attempt that John’s father, Eric, tried to make amends with his son.
As John and his daughter were outside, Ann received a package. She was eager to see what it was and who send it. To her surprise, it was a beautiful embroidered pillow that fit perfectly to the decor of their living room. The sender was no other than Eric. The note he included read, “John and Ann, happy 3rd anniversary. With love, Eric.”
Ann knew that John wouldn’t be happy with the gift. She was perfectly aware of her husband’s relationship with his father, and although she tried to convince John to forgive Eric, she didn’t want to force him to do so because she didn’t want to cross boundaries or intrude on his privacy.
When John came home he immediately asked Ann what was inside the box she was holding in her hands.
Unaware of what his reaction would be, she told him it was a pillow from his father.
John got utterly upset and quickly grabbed the pillow and started inspecting it. In the past, Eric was involved in illegal business that got him into trouble, so John was extra cautious because he didn’t trust his estranged father.
As he took the pillow in his hand, he went outside and threw it on the ground. He told Ann that there was something inside because he could heard ticking. Ann thought John was exaggerating, but when she picked up the pillow and put it close to her ear, she could hear the ticking herself.
Was Eric trying to harm them? If so, then why?
John decided to rip the pillow open, but not before asking from Ann to take a video, just in case there was something illegal inside. She took John’s phone and started filming while calling Eric from her cellphone.
“Eric, what’s inside that pillow you sent to us?” Ann asked with a serious voice. “Your son is upset, something’s ticking inside of it. What is it Eric?”
Eric sounded unusually calm. “The ticking is coming from the timer that will open a box that contains my gift for you,” he whispered.
Sure enough, there was a box inside that beautiful pillow.
“I’m dying, Ann. That gift is the last thing I want to give to you before I leave this world.”
As he said those words, John opened the box and saw a check on $100,000.
He was stunned. Was his father telling the truth?
John then took over the phone and asked his father if the money was really his and if he wasn’t trying to put him in any trouble.
Eric assured him the money was his and begged him to accept it for his daughter’s future.
John wasn’t sure what to do, but if it was true that his dad was dying, maybe it was time for the two of them to meet and make things right.
After a couple of days, John, Ann, and their daughter met Eric at the local park. They talked for hours and John could feel his father was sorry for everything he had done.
This meeting brought closure for John who was finally able to forgive his father for abandoning him when he was still just a child and needed him the most.