Amelia’s Unexpected Encounter: A Crying Child and a Past She Couldn’t Escape
Returning home from work, Amelia was startled to find a little girl sobbing outside her next-door neighbor’s apartment. Concerned, she approached the child.
“Hey, sweetheart, why are you crying?” she asked gently.
“I’m looking for my mommy,” the girl whimpered.
Amelia was about to knock on the neighbor’s door when her phone rang. She answered quickly, distracted by a work-related call that lasted ten minutes. When she turned back, the little girl had vanished.
Was she a ghost? Amelia wondered, feeling a shiver run down her spine.
Curious, she called her landlord, Mr. Crinkle, to ask about the apartment.
“No one has lived there in years,” he explained. “A young couple once did, but the woman passed away giving birth. The husband couldn’t bear to stay, but he still pays rent. I guess he couldn’t fully let go.”
Amelia was stunned. “That’s terrible. But I’ve heard crying there before. Do you have his contact information?”
Mr. Crinkle provided the number, along with the man’s name—Mr. Davis. Amelia jotted it down, preparing in case the girl returned.
A Familiar Name and a Shocking Realization
Weeks later, Amelia once again heard the child’s cries. Stepping outside, she found the same little girl standing at the door, her tiny frame trembling.
“Hey, honey, does your dad know you’re here?” Amelia asked kindly. “Would you like to come in while I call him?”
The girl nodded silently and followed Amelia inside. As she ate some mac and cheese and cookies, Amelia asked, “What’s your name?”
“Annie,” the child replied softly.
Amelia phoned the number Mr. Crinkle had given her. A man answered, apologizing profusely and promising to come immediately.
Just as Amelia noticed Annie had drifted off to sleep on the couch, a knock sounded at her door. She opened it and gasped.
“Thomas?” she whispered, her past crashing back.
“Amelia?” he said in equal shock. “You have my daughter?”
It hit her then. Mr. Davis was Thomas—her ex-husband.
Fifteen years ago, they had married young, full of love and hope. But after countless miscarriages and failed IVF attempts, their dream of having children shattered. Unable to cope, Thomas had left her. And now, here he stood, a daughter in his arms—the child he had once longed for, but with another woman.
The Truth Behind Annie’s Visits
“She’s been coming here for a while, Thomas. Alone. It’s not safe,” Amelia scolded, concern laced in her voice.
Thomas sighed heavily. “I never told her about her mother’s passing. She thinks she still lives here. After my wife died, I brought Annie to this building when she was sad. I couldn’t live here anymore, but I also couldn’t let go. Now, she’s coming on her own. I don’t even know how she keeps slipping away from our house.”
Amelia softened. “You need to tell her, Thomas. She’s searching for something she doesn’t understand.”
“I know,” he admitted. “But thank you, Amelia. For helping her. For caring.”
She smiled wistfully. “She’s a sweet girl. I just wish…” She trailed off, the weight of their past pressing between them.
Thomas understood. There were no words to mend what had been broken.
He gently picked up Annie, cradling her as she slept. “I should go. Thank you again.”
Amelia watched as he left, a bittersweet smile on her lips.
In time, new neighbors moved into the empty apartment. Amelia took it as a sign that Thomas had finally told Annie the truth and was ready to move forward. Though their paths had diverged long ago, she wished him nothing but peace and happiness.