I Took an Abandoned Girl from Church on Easter Only to Uncover My MIL’s Deepest Secret — Story of the Day

She was five. Alone. Holding an Easter basket on the church steps. I brought her home against my MIL’s protests. By evening, I realized this child wasn’t a stranger to our family at all.

I don’t like celebrating Easter with my husband’s family.

It’s not the holiday itself — it’s beautiful, bright, full of the smell of yeasty dough and fresh flowers. But celebrating it under my MIL’s sharp gaze feels like sitting on needles in a lace dress.

To her, I’ve always been a little “not right.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

So when my husband, Dave, suggested going to her place, I made every effort not to grimace. He was drying his hands with a towel, clearly hoping I’d say “yes” without hesitation this time.

“Come on, love. It’ll be nice.”

I sat at the kitchen table with a cup of tea that had long gone cold.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“You know exactly how it’ll go,” I murmured without looking up.

“She’s trying,” Dave said softly. “She even decorated the terrace with flowers. Says she’s making it just like when I was a kid.”

“Yeah. With the same ‘jokes’ from back then — like how you’re still childless because your wife clearly can’t bake anything more meaningful than a cake.”

Dave let out a slow breath. Silent. Not denying it.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“She doesn’t know,” he said after a pause.

“And she doesn’t need to. It’s our business. Not hers.”

Dave nodded. But I saw it in his eyes — the weariness. The way he’d grown tired of being the rope in a silent tug-of-war between two women who loved him in different ways.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

I turned to the window. Crocuses had started blooming. Easter was around the corner.

“Fine,” I stood up. “Let’s go. Better her decorated terrace than our walls reminding us of what we don’t have.”

“You sure?”

“No,” I smiled. “But I have a nice dress. It deserves some air.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

Dave laughed and raised his hands in surrender.

“So are we blessing the Easter basket or just keeping the peace for one day?”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself until I’m actually holding the basket,” I grumbled, pulling on my coat.

An hour later, we were driving down a road sprinkled with fallen blossoms. I had no idea this Easter would be more challenging than I expected.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

***

The morning went surprisingly well. Cynthia greeted us without a single eye roll or poisonous comment.

The Easter service was beautiful.

Light streamed through the stained-glass windows, and I found myself almost relaxed, sitting beside Dave with Cynthia on the other side, clutching her blessed basket like a relic.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

No side-eyes. No sighs. No carefully sharpened remarks. For the first time ever, it felt like a normal holiday. A quiet, uneventful, even… pleasant Easter. At least, that’s what I thought.

When the service ended, we stepped out into the sunlight. I stood near Dave’s mother as she scanned the crowd.

“Where’s David? Still in there?”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

“He’s helping someone with the candles.”

Cynthia muttered something under her breath and headed toward the car. I was about to follow when…

I saw her.

A little girl, no older than five, was sitting alone on the edge of the stone steps. Her Easter basket rested beside her — jelly beans inside, and a chocolate bunny with one ear already bitten off.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

She was Black. Dressed in a white cardigan and yellow dress, her shoes perfectly polished. But her face looked… abandoned.

I walked over slowly and crouched down.

“Hey there. Are you waiting for someone?”

She looked up. Big brown eyes. Calm, but uncertain.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

“My daddy. Mama said he’d be here to get me.”

“You came here alone?”

She shook her head.

“Mom brought me. She said Daddy would come.”

Before I could ask more, I heard a sharp voice behind me.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“There you are!” Cynthia’s heels clicked against the pavement. “What on earth are you doing? We’re all waiting in the car!”

“This little girl… She’s waiting for her father. Says he’s supposed to meet her here.”

Cynthia gave her a long look, unimpressed. “Oh, come on. You don’t really believe that.”

“She seems sure. Maybe we could check with someone? Or let the priest know?”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Cynthia rolled her eyes.

“She seems like she walked away from some social worker. You don’t just leave a five-year-old at church with a basket and expect a miracle.”

Then, she narrowed her eyes at me, already sensing where that was going.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

“And don’t even think about getting involved. You’re not bringing some stranger’s child into someone’s clean home on Easter Sunday.”

“She’s not a kitten. She’s a child. Alone. I’m not leaving her here.”

“She’ll be fine!” Cynthia snapped. “Someone will come for her. It’s a church, not a bus stop.”

I looked down. The girl had gone quiet.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

“I’ll take her with us,” I said.

“You will not.” Cynthia’s voice went cold. “This is my house. I decide who walks through my door.”

“Then Dave and I will get a hotel.”

“You’re being ridiculous.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

I knelt again beside the girl.

“What’s your name, sweetheart?”

“Ava,” she whispered.

“Well, Ava, how about you come with us for a little while? Just until we find your Mom or Dad, okay?”

She nodded.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

Dave appeared just as I was scribbling our address on the back of a church flyer and handing it to the priest. Cynthia stormed toward him.

“Your wife is bringing home strays now!”

Dave looked at me, then at Ava, then at his mother.

“It’s fine,” he said calmly. “She can come with us.”

“She what? David!”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

“She’s a little girl, Mom. It’s Easter.”

Cynthia stared at both of us like we’d lost our minds. But I held Ava’s hand as we walked to the car. And Dave didn’t let go of mine.

I had no idea who that child truly was.

But something deep inside me already knew — that wasn’t random.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

***

Ava followed me through the hallway in tiny socks, carefully stepping on the wooden floor like it might crack beneath her.

The house smelled like Easter bread and tension.

Cynthia hadn’t said a word since we came in. She’d pursed her lips so tight I thought they might disappear entirely.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Dave, bless him, tried to smooth things over — making tea, chatting about traffic, pretending we hadn’t just brought a mysterious child into his childhood home.

But Ava was… different.

She didn’t whine. Didn’t ask for cartoons. She just sat at the table drawing, focused, quiet. Her tiny fingers gripped a purple crayon like it was the only anchor she had.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

I leaned over.

“That’s beautiful. Who is it?”

She held up the drawing — a man, a woman, and a little girl between them. They were holding hands.

The man had brown hair and green eyes. Just like Dave.

I swallowed hard.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

“You like drawing your mom and dad?”

She nodded.

“Sometimes I dream about them. Together.”

I stood and quietly went to the guest room where we’d placed her backpack. I needed to find her toothbrush. Or clean socks. Or anything — just something to do with my hands.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

I unzipped the side pocket. A photo slipped out. It fluttered to the floor.

I bent down. And froze. It was a printed photo. A young couple, smiling.

The woman — beautiful, dark-skinned, with soft curls around her cheeks. The man — tall, white, with familiar green eyes.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

Familiar face.

Familiar jawline.

Familiar dimple.

My husband!

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“Ava?” I called gently, stepping into the hallway.

She peeked out from the kitchen, chewing on a cookie. I showed her the photo.

“Sweetheart… Who’s this?”

She smiled brightly.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

“That’s my mommy and daddy!”

I tried to return the smile. But my cheeks refused to move.

“Do you know your daddy’s name?”

She paused. “I think… David. I’ve never met him.”

My heart dropped.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

I nodded slowly and turned down the hallway, my fingers trembling around the photo.

Then, the soft creak of a floorboard behind me. A sigh.

Cynthia.

She was already standing there, arms folded, eyes narrowed like she’d been waiting for her cue. I stepped into the living room where Dave sat on the couch, holding out the photo.

“Dave. What is this?”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

My husband looked up. His face went pale. Before he could speak, Cynthia’s voice cut through the air like ice.

“Oh, for God’s sake,” she snapped, striding into the room. “I heard everything. First, you bring home a random child, now you’re accusing my son of being her father? What kind of circus is this?”

Dave stood up.

“Mom. Stop.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Cynthia’s eyes burned into mine.

“You’re seriously turning Easter into some twisted drama? What’s next — a baby goat in the guest room?”

Dave didn’t look at her. He took my hand.

“She might be my daughter.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

***

The house held its breath.

Dave sat on the armrest of the couch, staring at the photo in his hand like it was ticking. Cynthia paced near the fireplace, arms crossed so tightly her knuckles turned white.

Ava was upstairs, drawing. Quiet as a ghost. And just as heavy on our hearts. Then the doorbell rang. We all froze. Cynthia frowned.

“Who could that possibly be?”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

Dave looked at me. I didn’t say anything — just headed toward the door, my palms damp.

When I opened it, I saw her.

A tall woman stood on the porch. Black. Graceful. The wind tugged at her scarf, revealing soft curls and sharp cheekbones. Her eyes were tired.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

It took me only a second to place her. She was the woman from the photo. The one smiling beside Dave in the snapshot, hidden in Ava’s backpack.

The one who hadn’t said a word. Until now.

“Hi,” she said softly. “You must be the one who brought Ava.”

I nodded.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

“I’m Daisy,” she added. “Her mother.”

I stepped aside without speaking. She entered slowly, like someone stepping into a house that once belonged to her in a dream.

Dave stood up the moment he saw her.

“Daisy…?”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

“I got your number from the priest. But I didn’t call. I already knew where to go.”

“You knew we’d be here?”

“I didn’t… not until I saw you this morning. At the church.”

Dave froze.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

“I was walking past with Ava,” she continued. “We were just going to sit outside and listen to the choir. But then Ava saw you. She didn’t know it was you. I did.”

Daisy’s voice trembled, just slightly.

“Ava always asks about you. I didn’t plan anything. But I thought…”

She paused. Looked around the room.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels

“I told her to wait for her Dad.”

“You left her?” Cynthia’s voice cut like broken glass.

“I stayed,” Daisy said, turning sharply. “I watched everything. You were one of the last families to leave. I wanted to see what you’d do. Whether you’d ignore her. Whether you’d walk away.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

Dave looked like he was about to fall.

“You should have told me.”

“I tried. Twice. The first time, I got your voicemail. The second… your mother answered the door. After that, your number stopped working.”

All heads turned to Cynthia. She didn’t flinch. But her mouth was tight.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

“I was protecting you,” she said.

“No,” Daisy replied. “You were protecting yourself. Your image. Your control.”

“I was protecting my son’s future!”

“You stole his present. And his daughter’s.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

Dave’s face crumbled. He turned to me, searching, as if for balance.

I stepped forward and said quietly, “She’s not trying to break anything, Cynthia. She’s trying to give something back.”

Then we heard the footsteps. Ava appeared at the top of the stairs, holding a piece of paper.

“Mommy?”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

Daisy’s entire face changed. She crouched without thinking.

“Hey, baby.”

Ava ran to her, curling into her arms like she’d been waiting for this hug her whole life. Dave’s voice broke the silence.

“I didn’t know. God, I didn’t know.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

“You do now,” Daisy answered gently. “And she’s right here.”

Dave looked at me. I reached for his hand.

“She’s your daughter. I’m not going anywhere. But neither is she.”

Cynthia stood still. I turned to her.

“I may never be able to give you a grandchild. But you already have one. Maybe not the one you imagined. But real. Brilliant. Here.”

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

Cynthia didn’t answer. But something shifted in her eyes. She looked at Ava, and her shoulders dropped.

“You can stay,” she said hoarsely. “All of you. It’s Easter. And I guess… even the messiest families deserve to be together.”

Ava stepped toward me and unfolded her drawing.

“I made us all. Even Granny Cynthia. Just in case.”

Cynthia blinked. For a second, I thought she might cry. She cleared her throat.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

“That’s… very sweet, dear.”

Ava smiled shyly and returned to Daisy’s side. And I… I just watched them. A man. A woman. A child. A mess. A miracle. A maybe.

Maybe our family didn’t begin the way we hoped. Maybe it was twisted, tangled, and painful.

But it was real. It was ours. And somehow, in the most unexpected way, I’d found someone I didn’t even know I was meant to love.

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

For illustration purposes only | Source: Midjourney

Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.

FANS STUNNED: JASON MOMOA’S NEW 12-YEAR-YOUNGER GIRLFRIEND RESEMBLES HIS EX-WIFE

Jason Momoa’s new relationship is making waves in the news after he posted pictures of his girlfriend, who is also well-known.

Fans have been talking about how his new girlfriend looks similar to his ex-wife and even his daughter. Some people think it’s odd that his girlfriend looks like his teenage daughter.

Jason Momoa has confirmed that he’s dating again. With his new girlfriend’s photos spreading online, people are comparing her to his family members. Some say his ex is more beautiful, while others find it uncomfortable that his new girlfriend resembles his child.

Jason Momoa is famous for his role in the 2018 film “Aquaman,” where he starred with Amber Heard. They both returned for the sequel in 2023.

He has also acted with Vin Diesel, Tyrese Gibson, Michelle Rodriguez, and Gal Gadot in the popular movie “Fast X.”

Besides his successful acting career, Jason Momoa’s love life has also attracted a lot of public interest. He has been romantically linked to several well-known women over the years.

Jason Momoa was married to Lisa Bonet, who is famous for her role on “The Cosby Show.” They became a well-known couple. They started dating in 2005 after friends introduced them to each other.

At the time, Lisa Bonet was 12 years older than Jason Momoa and was a single mom raising her teenage daughter, Zoë Kravitz, from her previous marriage to Lenny Kravitz.

Momoa built a close bond with both Zoë and Lenny. He affectionately calls Zoë “Zozo bear,” and she calls him “Papa bear.” Momoa also has a lot of respect for Lenny Kravitz, and the feeling is mutual.

Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet got married in October 2017. They have two children together: a daughter named Lola and a son named Nakoa-Wolf. Both kids are now teenagers.

Getty Images

In a 2018 interview, Jason Momoa talked about how much he enjoyed his marriage with Lisa Bonet. He said she was very funny and quirky, which made him laugh a lot. He also praised her for being a great mom and said they were a “perfect fit.”

However, after being together for 16 years and married for four of those years, Momoa and Bonet announced they were separating in January 2022. They explained that they were going through big changes and that their love was evolving.

They said in a joint statement, “We have all felt the squeeze and changes of these transformational times… A revolution is unfolding and our family is no exception… feeling and growing from the seismic shifts occurring.”

The couple’s breakup surprised many fans, and later, it was revealed what led to their separation.

Getty Images

Jason Momoa and Lisa Bonet’s split happened because they had different priorities. A source revealed that Momoa was very focused on his career and enjoyed the success it brought him. Meanwhile, Bonet wanted to stay in Los Angeles and focus on health and wellness. Their different lifestyles led them to drift apart.

Two years after they announced their separation, Bonet filed for divorce in January 2024. She mentioned “irreconcilable differences” and said they separated in October 2020. The court quickly approved their divorce. They had already agreed on the terms, including joint custody of their children and no child or spousal support.

After the divorce, Momoa briefly dated Mexican singer and actress Eiza Gonzalez. Their relationship ended in June 2022, partly because they were at different stages in their lives.

Since then, Momoa has started a new relationship. At a Comic Con event in May 2024, he confirmed he was dating someone but kept her identity private. He later shared photos from a trip to Japan with some friends, including a woman who might be his new partner.

Getty Images

Jason Momoa shared his gratitude on social media, thanking everyone who welcomed them into their homes and made new memories together. In the post, he went public with his new relationship with Puerto Rican actress Adria Arjona. Arjona, who is 12 years younger than Momoa, was featured in several photos, including one where she is smiling and sitting on his lap.

Their relationship has caught the attention of many fans, who are excited to follow their love story as they continue to share moments from their lives together.

Related Posts

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*