Fearing she won’t be able to care for her infant, a lady leaves him on a business jet seat. A few years later, when things become better for her, she resolves to find and adopt her baby.
“Are you out of your mind, Rhonda?” her father, David Harris, yelled when he learned she was pregnant with her boyfriend Peter’s child.
Rhonda came from a wealthy family. Her father ran a large textile company and had raised her alone after her mother died when she was just two. He gave her the best of everything but was very controlling. He never wanted Rhonda to disobey him.
When Rhonda’s pregnancy started to show, she decided to tell her father. He was furious. “Rhonda, you’re going to get rid of that kid. Do you understand?”
“No, dad,” Rhonda, who was 16, said firmly. “I’m not ending the pregnancy. It’s too late now.”
“Then you’ll have to figure out how to raise that child yourself,” Mr. Harris warned. “Nobody in our family has ever married someone from a lower class. So leave my house if you want to keep that man’s blood!”
Rhonda’s eyes filled with tears. “Fine, dad. Maybe mom would have supported me if she were here. I’ll prove you wrong and raise this baby on my own.”
That night, Rhonda packed her things and left. Her father told her not to come back unless she had either aborted the baby or given it to an orphanage. He shut the door behind her without a second thought.
Rhonda ordered an Uber to Peter’s house. When she got there, she told him she had left her father’s house to start a new life with him. But Peter wasn’t interested in taking responsibility for the child.
“Look, babe,” he said. “I’m not ready for a kid. Why did you leave your dad’s house? He could’ve supported us when we decided to marry and start a family. Either get rid of that baby or forget about me.”
Rhonda was shocked. “But Peter, this is our child. How can you…”
“Stop it, Rhonda! You and that baby are just causing me problems. It’s over!”
“Peter!” Rhonda cried. “You were so happy when you found out I was pregnant! What changed?”
“Because, babe, you’re nothing without your dad’s money. I’m not raising that kid,” he yelled, slamming the door in her face.
Rhonda’s world fell apart in one night. Neither her father nor her boyfriend cared about her or her baby. She wandered the streets, crying, not knowing what to do.
Suddenly, she felt a sharp pain in her belly. She was in labor. A woman saw her and, with her driver’s help, got Rhonda to the hospital.
Rhonda gave birth to a boy that night. When she woke up, the woman who helped her, Angela Bamford, was by her side.
“Thank you for helping me,” Rhonda said weakly. “Is my baby okay?”
“He’s fine,” Mrs. Bamford assured her. “Are you new here? I saw you had your bags.”
Rhonda burst into tears and told Mrs. Bamford everything. “I don’t want to stay here anymore. I just want to leave Texas. But I don’t know if I can give my baby a good life.”
Mrs. Bamford felt sorry for Rhonda. She reminded her of her own daughter. “Please, don’t say that. I had a daughter your age. We threw her out when we found out she was pregnant. She ended her life. I don’t want anyone else to go through that.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Rhonda said, wiping her tears.
“It’s too late for my daughter, but I can help you. My husband owns an airline. I can book you a ticket. Make a new start and give your baby a good life.”
“Oh no, you’ve already done so much for me,” Rhonda protested.
“Please, let me help. It’s like helping my daughter,” Mrs. Bamford insisted.
Rhonda couldn’t refuse. A few days later, she was on a business class flight to New York, holding her baby. But as she sat there, she worried. What if she couldn’t provide for her child? What if they ended up on the streets?
Lost in her thoughts, she didn’t realize the flight had landed. Fear gripped her as she thought about being alone in a new place with no support. Then, she made a heartbreaking decision. She left her baby on the plane with a note she had written earlier and hurried off, tears streaming down her face.
After everyone had left, Lincy, one of the flight attendants, found the baby and read the note:
“I’m a poor mother who couldn’t care for my baby. Don’t try to find me. Please love him and name him Matthew. Harris, Matthew. That’s the name I chose for him.”
Thirteen years later…
Rhonda had struggled for almost a decade but finally had a stable job and financial security. She regretted leaving her son every day.
After arriving in New York, she spent seven years homeless, trying to find a job and a place to live. Now, she wanted to find her son and give him everything he ever wanted.
With the help of the police, she found Matthew in New York. He had been adopted by Lincy and her husband.
When she finally met Matthew, he snapped at her. “My mother? Where have you been all these years? I don’t need you! I’m happy with my adoptive parents.”
Rhonda’s eyes filled with tears. She explained everything to Matthew’s adoptive mother, who allowed Rhonda to meet him.
“I’m sorry, Matthew. Can’t you give me one chance?” Rhonda pleaded. “I know you’re angry, but please.”
“No way! You abandoned me. If my parents hadn’t adopted me, I’d be in an orphanage,” he shouted.
“But Matthew, I didn’t want to. Let me tell you why,” Rhonda said.
Despite his reluctance, Matthew agreed after his parents persuaded him. Rhonda didn’t tell him about the early pregnancy or being kicked out. She just said his father abandoned her and she was poor.
Lincy added that Rhonda gave him up because she couldn’t provide a good life for him. Matthew was still reluctant to accept Rhonda as his mother.
“Maybe I can forgive you, but you can’t be my mother. I only have one mother,” he said.
Rhonda smiled through her tears. “That’s okay. Can I visit you, at least on weekends?”
“Okay, that’s not a problem,” Matthew agreed.
Ten years later…
Matthew is now a 23-year-old data scientist in New York City. Over time, he forgave Rhonda and accepted her as his mother, understanding her difficult choice.
Rhonda met Andrew at work, and they’ve been dating for a month. She plans to talk to Matthew about marrying Andrew soon. Two years ago, she also met Mrs. Bamford, who was happy to see Rhonda’s life had turned out well.
Lessons from this story:
- Everything gets better with time. Matthew eventually understood Rhonda’s actions and forgave her.
- Dwelling on the past is pointless. When Matthew realized this, he made peace with Rhonda.
This story is based on a reader’s real-life experience. Any similarity to real names or places is coincidental. All pictures are illustrative. Share your story with us, and it might make a difference in someone’s life.
