Nicholas had been raised by his single mother, Doris, after his own father abandoned them when he was a child. Despite the hardships, Doris worked tirelessly to give her son a good life. She never imagined that at sixty years old, she would be put in the same position, raising a child alone again—this time, her own granddaughter, Paige.
Paige’s mother, Sandra, passed away when Paige was nine. Shortly after, Nicholas remarried a woman named Donna. Doris watched her once-lively granddaughter become quiet and withdrawn, attributing it to the loss of her mother and the sudden remarriage.
When Paige was ten, Nicholas approached Doris with a request. He and Donna wanted to go on a three-week vacation to Alaska, and he wanted Doris to watch Paige. He claimed Paige had been “difficult” and “resented Donna,” insisting that a break was necessary for his new marriage. Doris was surprised but agreed, though she didn’t hold back her opinion. She reminded Nicholas that Donna knew he had a daughter and should be more understanding of a grieving ten-year-old. Nicholas became defensive, storming out while claiming Donna’s happiness was all that mattered to him. Doris was heartbroken that he wasn’t prioritizing his own daughter’s happiness.
A week later, Nicholas returned with Paige and her suitcase, kissed her goodbye, and drove off with a wave, promising to be back in three weeks.
He never returned.
August 27th came and went. Nicholas didn’t show up. His phone number was disconnected, and Doris discovered he had sold his house. He had vanished, abandoning his own daughter without a word or a plan for her future.
Doris comforted a heartbroken Paige, promising to take care of her and vowing that Nicholas would one day regret his actions. She didn’t know how right she was.
Ten years later, Nicholas returned to his mother’s old house. To his surprise, it was abandoned and rundown. A nosy neighbor, who was also Doris’s best friend, saw him and reluctantly gave him a new address, making it clear he wouldn’t be getting a warm welcome. She eyed his shabby clothes and rusty car with disdain, telling him he shouldn’t expect a “prodigal son” reception after what he had done.
When Nicholas arrived at the new address, he was stunned. Doris and Paige were living in a huge, luxurious mansion. A uniformed maid led him to an elegant sitting room where he was soon greeted by a stunning woman—Paige. She stared at him without surprise, confirming his suspicion that the neighbor had warned them.
Nicholas tried to play the role of the loving father, but Paige was cold and direct. She asked him what he wanted, and when he claimed he just missed them, she responded without emotion: “You abandoned me, father.” Nicholas blamed Donna, saying she would have left him.
Just then, Doris walked in, looking calm and much younger than her years. She saw right through his excuses, asking pointedly if Donna had left him because the money ran out. Nicholas, seeing their luxurious surroundings, expressed bitterness and asked for money, claiming he was unemployed and struggling.
“I’m surprised you have the gall to ask us for anything, father,” Paige said, explaining that thanks to her husband, they had everything they needed. She stated firmly that he was nothing to her, but for her grandmother’s sake, she would help.
Paige went to a desk, retrieved a set of keys to the old house, and put $5,000 in an envelope. She told him this was all he would get, and he shouldn’t bother coming back. She then led Doris out of the room, leaving Nicholas to be escorted out by the maid before he could take anything.
Sitting in his car, Nicholas stared at the mansion, whining to himself about his own suffering and the lack of “gratitude” in the world.
The story serves as a lesson: selfish people prioritize their own happiness above all else. Nicholas abandoned his family without a second thought. But what you give is what you get. He expected to share in his daughter’s wealth but received a harsh reality check—though, thanks to the kindness of Doris and Paige, he still got a roof over his head and some money, more than he deserved.