When Adriana noticed a new customer watching her from across the café, she thought little of it—until he left behind a note that would alter her world. The message inside left her stunned, raising questions about her past that she never imagined.
“I’ll never forget the moment everything changed,” Adriana recalled. “I was wiping tables at the café when a little girl with messy pigtails handed me a folded note. As I opened it, a strange sense of anticipation gripped me.”
It had all started during one of her afternoon shifts at Mad Joy Café. Adriana, 35, was saving for a college diploma and making ends meet at her cozy one-bedroom apartment in a less-than-ideal neighborhood. Life had thrown some challenges her way, but she always tried to keep moving forward.
One day, around 3 p.m., the bell above the café door chimed, and a man entered with two children in tow. He looked worn out—his eyes tired and his clothes faded. The children weren’t much better off. The little girl’s hair was messy, and the boy’s shirt was stained.
Jen, her co-worker, seated them by the window, and Adriana continued with her shift. She noticed the man watching her intently, which made her uncomfortable. It seemed unusual, but she brushed it off, focusing on her tasks.
Then something odd happened. The man ordered food for himself but nothing for the kids. Adriana found it strange but didn’t interfere. However, as she cleared a nearby table, she noticed him hand a note to the little girl, instructing her to give it to Adriana. Her curiosity piqued, but she kept her composure.
After a few moments, the man quietly left the café, leaving the children behind. Confused, Adriana approached them and asked about their father. The little girl silently handed her the note, and when Adriana opened it, her heart stopped.
“These are your kids. You must take care of them,” the note read, followed by an address hastily written at the bottom.
Adriana froze, staring at the children, their innocent faces triggering an unsettling feeling deep within her. She rushed to her boss, explaining there was an emergency. To her surprise, he let her leave.
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