As a single father juggling his job and raising his two young daughters, Jack never expected to find freshly made crepes prepared by a stranger on his kitchen table one morning. When he confronts this mysterious benefactor, the heartbreaking story of her life—filled with hardship and gratitude—changes his daily life forever, forging an unexpected bond between them.
Being a single father to two little girls, Emma, aged 4, and Lily, 5, has been one of the greatest challenges of my life. My wife left us to travel the world, and ever since, it has just been me and my daughters. Although I loved them more than anything, juggling work, household chores, and cooking was becoming exhausting.
Every morning, I woke up early. The first step of the day: waking up the girls.
«Emma, Lily, time to get up!» I said softly, opening their bedroom door.
Emma and Lily asleep | Source: Midjourney
Lily, rubbing her sleepy eyes, sat up. «Good morning, Daddy,» she murmured, yawning.
Emma, half-asleep, groaned: «I want to sleep more…»
I smiled looking at her. «Come on, big girl, we have to get ready for daycare.» I helped them get dressed. Lily opted for her favorite floral dress, while Emma chose her pink shirt and favorite jeans. Once ready, we all went down to the kitchen.
Jack dressing Lily | Source: Midjourney
My plan for breakfast was simple: oatmeal with milk. But entering the kitchen, I froze. On the table, three plates of crepes, accompanied by jam and fruit, were waiting to be eaten.
«Girls, come look at this!» I said, still surprised.
Lily’s eyes lit up. «Wow, crepes! Did you make them, Daddy?»
A plate of crepes | Source: Midjourney
I shook my head, bewildered. «No, it wasn’t me. Maybe Aunt Sarah came by early this morning.»
I grabbed my phone to call my sister.
«Sarah, did you stop by the house this morning?» I asked as soon as she picked up.
«No, why?» she replied, visibly confused. «It’s nothing, I was just wondering,» I answered, hanging up. I checked the doors and windows; everything was securely locked. No sign of a break-in attempt.
«Daddy, can we eat anyway?» asked Emma, her eyes glued to the crepes.
I took a bite first. They were delicious. «I think it’s okay. Let’s go ahead and eat,» I declared.
Emma and Lily devouring their breakfast | Source: Midjourney
The girls clapped happily as they enjoyed their meal. But I couldn’t help wondering who could have made them. It was strange, but for now, I had other worries.
After breakfast, I dropped Emma and Lily off at daycare, then went to work. Yet, throughout the day, my mind kept going back to the mysterious crepes. Who could have made them? And why?
Coming home that evening, another surprise awaited me. My lawn, which I hadn’t had time to mow, had been neatly cut.
I stood in my yard, perplexed. «This is getting really strange,» I whispered to myself. Everything in the house seemed normal; nothing suggested a break-in.
The next morning, I decided to find out the truth. I got up earlier than usual and hid in the kitchen, watching through a small crack. At 6:00 a.m., a woman entered through the window.
She was wearing worn-out mail carrier clothes. I watched her head to the sink, wash the dishes, then take out cottage cheese and start making crepes. My stomach growled loudly, and the woman turned around, startled. She quickly turned off the stove and rushed toward the window.
«Wait! I don’t mean you any harm,» I told her, stepping out of my hiding place. «You’re the one making these crepes, aren’t you? Please, explain to me why you’re doing all this. I just want to thank you.»
She turned slowly toward me, her face familiar, though I couldn’t quite remember where I knew her from.
«We know each other, don’t we?» I asked, intrigued.
The woman nodded, but before she could speak, Emma and Lily shouted from upstairs: «Daddy, where are you?»
I looked at them, then turned back to the woman. «Please, stay, let’s talk. I’m going to get my daughters.»
Hesitant, she finally nodded. «Okay,» she whispered.
I went up quickly to get the girls. «Come on, girls, we have a special guest.»
Coming downstairs, Emma and Lily discovered the woman standing near the window, unsure of herself.
«Who is she, Daddy?» asked Lily.
«Let’s find out together,» I replied. Turning to the woman, I offered: «Shall I make you some coffee?»
After hesitating, she accepted. «My name is Claire,» she began. «Two months ago, you helped me when I was in a desperate situation.»
I frowned. «Helped? How?»
She recounted: «I was lying on the side of the road, completely weak. Everyone passed by without stopping, but you did. You took me to the hospital. When I woke up, you were gone, but I tracked you down thanks to your license plate number.»
I then remembered the incident. «I couldn’t leave you there.»
Claire then explained that after our meeting, she had regained hope, gotten help, and found a job. But for her, my kindness deserved recognition, hence her desire to help me in return.
Touched by her story, I suggested she stop acting in the shadows and come share moments with us. That is how a new chapter began for our two families, filled with mutual support and hope for the future.
