Gina Heslop
Amanda was a woman in her 60s who had never married or had children. She enjoyed her peaceful life and hosted a weekly book club for the neighborhood women at her home.
She loved order and disliked anything that disrupted her sense of control. Because of her strict nature, children in the neighborhood avoided her, afraid of upsetting her.
One day, Amanda ran into a 50-year-old neighbor named Jane at the grocery store. She had never really spoken to Jane before, but when she saw her looking at junk food, she couldn’t resist offering advice. “We shouldn’t be eating that kind of junk at our age,” she said. Jane politely smiled and explained that the snacks were for guests. Still, Amanda insisted on recommending a healthier option. Jane, knowing Amanda’s personality, simply thanked her and moved on.
At the checkout counter, Amanda invited Jane to her book club. Jane accepted, and for a few weeks, she regularly attended. The group followed a routine: they discussed a book, ate sandwiches, drank tea, and chatted. However, after attending for two weeks, Jane suddenly stopped coming. She also didn’t answer Amanda’s calls. Amanda, who disliked disorder, was annoyed and asked the other women if they had seen Jane. No one had.
A month later, Amanda saw Jane walking down the street, gently holding her round belly. The next day, she excitedly told the book club. “I swear Jane is pregnant!” she exclaimed. The women were shocked. “At her age? That’s disgusting!” Amanda said. The others laughed and made fun of the idea of an older woman becoming a mother.
A few days later, Amanda saw Jane at the grocery store again. Wanting to know who the father was, she approached Jane and made a rude comment about pregnant women eating peanuts. Jane calmly explained that her doctor had approved it. Amanda, annoyed, called her selfish and irresponsible. Suddenly, Jane felt sick and ran to the restroom.
At that moment, Jane’s daughter, Billie, and her husband, Timothy, appeared. Seeing Amanda upset, Billie asked what was going on. Amanda rudely accused Jane of being too old for pregnancy and questioned why a widow would have a baby. Billie, disgusted by Amanda’s behavior, decided to reveal the truth.
Billie had struggled with infertility for years. She had multiple miscarriages and had tried everything—surgery, IVF—but nothing worked. Adoption wasn’t something she wanted. Seeing her daughter’s pain, Jane made a selfless decision: she offered to be a surrogate mother for Billie and her husband, carrying their child.
Just then, Jane returned from the restroom and confirmed what her daughter had said. “This is my daughter, Billie, and her husband, Timothy Watson,” she said. Amanda’s eyes widened. Timothy Watson was the heir to a wealthy company—the same company where Amanda had once worked.
Suddenly, Amanda felt deep shame for how she had treated Jane. She stammered an apology. “I didn’t know… What you’re doing is such a wonderful gift. I’m really sorry.” Billie, still upset, told Amanda that she didn’t owe her an apology—Jane did. Realizing her mistake, Amanda turned to Jane and, with tears in her eyes, sincerely asked for forgiveness. Jane, being kindhearted, forgave her.
Amanda learned a valuable lesson about judging others without knowing their full story. From that day on, she changed her ways. When Jane gave birth, Amanda was among the first to visit her at the hospital.
She offered to help in any way she could, even assisting with the baby when Jane needed rest. Over time, Amanda and Jane became good friends, proving that people can change when they open their hearts and learn to be kind.
