At seventeen, Kendall found herself facing an unexpected challenge when she discovered she was pregnant. Her deeply religious adoptive parents, unable to accept her situation, cast her out of their home.
“Get out!” her adoptive mother yelled as Kendall cried, covering her face with her hands. “You sinner! I won’t have you corrupting your siblings!”
Desperate, Kendall looked to her adoptive father for support, but he simply turned away, unwilling to stand up to his wife. Her mother shoved her towards the door, yelling about her biological mother’s supposed flaws.
Kendall sat on the curb outside the house, crying until her adoptive father emerged with a backpack. “Your sister packed some things for you,” he said, handing her a small roll of dollar bills. “I’m sorry, Kendall… But you know how your mom is…”
“She’s not my mom!” Kendall shouted. “And you’re not my dad! Real parents love their kids no matter what!” With that, he walked away, leaving Kendall to face her uncertain future alone.
Adopted as a baby, Kendall grew up in a strict household with four other children. The Jordans, her adoptive parents, were good people but extreme in their religious beliefs. They did not celebrate birthdays or Christmas, considering them sinful, and imposed strict limitations on Kendall’s life.
Kendall yearned for the simple joys of teenage life—going to the movies, wearing pretty clothes, and attending parties. Denied these experiences, she rebelled and got involved with the school’s bad boy, resulting in her pregnancy.
Now, with nowhere to go, Kendall muttered bitterly to herself about the absence of miracles and guardian angels. She had always fantasized about having a guardian angel who secretly left gifts for her on special occasions. Now, more than ever, she wished for that kind of magic.
She wandered to a nearby park and counted the money her adoptive father had given her—just over $56. It wasn’t even enough for a night at a cheap motel. Kendall started crying again when she heard a kind voice.
“Hey there, sweetheart, what’s got you so down? Maybe I can help!” said a tall woman with a warm smile, wearing a colorful apron and holding pruning shears and a bunch of roses.
“I’m…okay,” Kendall sniffed.
The woman shook her head and sat down beside her. “No, honey, you’re not. But you can tell me. I don’t judge.”
Kendall poured out her story. “I have no money, no job, nowhere to go, and a baby to take care of.”
“I can offer you a job,” the woman, Mila, said calmly. “And I have a small place you can stay. But you’ll need to care for the baby yourself.”
“You’d really give me a job?” Kendall gasped.
“Yes,” Mila smiled. “I run a flower stand in the park and want to open another near the business district. I’ll teach you everything you need to know.”
Through her tears, Kendall managed a smile. “I love flowers! I can do that!”
“Great,” Mila said. “Let’s go see the apartment I can set you up in.”
The apartment was small but cozy and clean, and Kendall couldn’t believe her luck. Maybe her guardian angel was watching over her after all. Over the next few months, Kendall thrived. The new flower stand was a hit, and Mila was pleased with her work. A doctor confirmed that both Kendall and the baby were healthy.
Five months later, Kendall gave birth to a beautiful baby boy she named Michael. Mila gave her three months’ leave to adjust to motherhood, which proved challenging. Michael cried constantly, and Kendall was exhausted. Then, one morning, she woke up to find Michael sleeping peacefully, having slept through the night.
Baffled, Kendall noticed his bottle was empty and his diaper was clean. “Did I do this in my sleep?” she wondered. The next night, the same thing happened. Determined to find out what was going on, Kendall stayed awake.
At three in the morning, she heard soft noises from Michael’s room. Peeking inside, she saw a woman tending to her baby. Kendall switched on the light and demanded, “Who are you? Get away from my baby!”
The woman, startled, soothed Michael before turning to Kendall. “I’m Martha Douglas,” she said calmly. “I’m your mother.”
Martha explained her story: she had become pregnant at sixteen and was forced by her mother to give Kendall up. “I stayed in your life as much as I could,” Martha said. “I sent you birthday and Christmas presents.”
After finishing high school, Martha started a successful chain of flower shops, which allowed her to arrange for Mila to help Kendall. “But why didn’t you tell me?” Kendall asked.
“I was ashamed,” Martha admitted. “I didn’t want you to think badly of me. I just wanted to help you.”
Kendall hugged her mother. “I’m lucky to have you and Mila. I don’t think badly of you at all.”
Martha and Kendall moved in together, and Kendall finally had the loving, supportive family she had always wanted.
