Pauline had been through a lot in her life. She was a single mother, raising her 8-year-old daughter, Eve, all by herself after her husband passed away from cancer. Life was hard. Money was tight, and Pauline worked long hours as a janitor to make ends meet. Despite the struggles, she always tried her best to make Eve happy.
One day, as she was wandering through the flea market, Pauline’s eyes landed on something that made her heart leap. It was an old, vintage doll. The doll was holding a tiny baby in its arms, and its worn-out dress seemed to tell a story of its own. Eve had been begging for a doll for months, and even though Pauline didn’t have much money, she knew this would be the perfect birthday gift for her daughter.
“Oh, this one’s lovely. Eve will love it!” Pauline said to herself as she picked up the doll, clutching it tightly. She didn’t even check to see if there was anything unusual about it. In her mind, all she could think about was how happy Eve would be to get it.
Pauline had been so focused on the happiness it would bring Eve that she didn’t notice anything strange about the doll. She could hardly wait to give it to her on Eve’s birthday.
Two days earlier, Eve had approached her with a sad look on her face.
“Mommy,” Eve said, her voice small and shaky. “Can you get me a doll?”
Pauline smiled softly, even though her heart ached. “Honey,” she said gently, “You know we’re on a tight budget this month. I promise I’ll get you one next month. Just hang in there, okay?”
“But mommy…” Eve’s voice cracked. “My birthday is in two days. Did you forget about it?”
Pauline’s heart dropped. “Oh, no, no, sweetheart! Not at all! I didn’t forget. I promise you’ll get your doll. I’ll make sure of it.”
“Are you still not going to get me a doll? I don’t have any friends, mommy. Nobody wants to be my friend because we’re poor. That doll can be my best friend,” Eve whispered, her eyes filling with tears.
Pauline held Eve close, trying to comfort her. “Oh, honey, I know. I know. I’ll get you the doll, I promise. Don’t be sad, okay?”
It broke Pauline’s heart to see how much Eve longed for something as simple as a doll—a symbol of friendship that she felt was missing from her life. Pauline knew the kids at Eve’s school didn’t treat her well because they came from wealthier families, but there was nothing she could do about it. She wished she could make Eve’s life easier, but all she could do was promise her a gift.
And so, a few days later, when Eve’s birthday arrived, Pauline handed her the doll with a beaming smile.
“Ta-da! Mommy got the doll for Evie!” Pauline exclaimed, holding the doll in her hands. “Can mommy have a kiss for that?”
Eve’s face lit up, her joy shining through. “It’s so pretty! Thank you, mommy!” she chirped as she gave Pauline a kiss on the cheek.
Pauline was about to say something else when she suddenly heard a strange sound. It wasn’t loud, but it was clear. A weird crackling noise came from the doll.
“What was that?” Pauline wondered aloud, shaking the doll in her hands. She held it up to her ear, and the crackling sound came again.
“Mommy! Give it here! I wanna hold my doll! Please! Please!” Eve begged, eager to play with her new gift.
“Just a second, honey. I think there’s something in here…” Pauline said, her curiosity growing.
When she took a closer look at the doll, she noticed something odd. The doll had a small, secret pocket sewn into its dress. Pauline carefully pulled at the threads and, to her surprise, a small note fell out.
Eve quickly grabbed it and read aloud, “Mommy, it says, ‘Happy Birthday, Mommy.’ But it’s not your birthday! It’s my birthday!” she giggled, thinking it was funny.
Pauline, however, felt a chill run down her spine as she looked at the note. The handwriting seemed childish, and the words didn’t make sense. What was going on?
As she stared at the note, a thought crossed her mind. The woman who had sold her the doll at the flea market—she’d seemed like she had something hidden behind her eyes. Maybe there was more to the doll than she had realized.
The next day, Pauline returned to the flea market, the doll in hand, hoping to find the seller again.
“Oh, I’m so glad I found you!” Pauline called out to the woman behind the stall. “I bought this doll yesterday, and I found a note inside it.”
The woman, whose name was Miriam, looked at the note and gasped. Her face paled, and tears welled up in her eyes. “My daughter got this doll for me,” she said quietly, her voice trembling. “She passed away just two days before my birthday…”
Pauline’s heart sank. “I’m so sorry for your loss,” she said, her voice soft. “I had no idea.”
Miriam covered her face with her hands as tears began to fall. “I’m sorry… I just… it’s all so hard to talk about.” She wiped her eyes, then continued. “My little girl was diagnosed with cancer. We didn’t have enough money for her treatment, so we had to sell our old things at the market. Her toys, her clothes… it was all we had left to give.”
Miriam paused, her voice breaking. “One night, just before she passed, she held my hand and said, ‘Mumma, when I’m gone, please remember me with a smile.’ So I decided to sell the toys. This doll… she bought it for me before she went, saying it would remind me of her.”
Pauline’s eyes filled with tears as she listened. “I had no idea. I just thought it was a regular doll,” she said, her voice full of sympathy.
Miriam smiled sadly, wiping her tears. “Thank you for listening. It feels like a weight has been lifted just by telling someone.” She looked at Pauline with gratitude in her eyes. “You don’t know how much this means to me.”
Pauline offered a warm hug, and after a long conversation, she invited Miriam to visit her and Eve at their small trailer. “Eve will love to meet you,” Pauline said, still shaken by Miriam’s story. “And thank you for the doll. It made Eve’s day. I’m sure your daughter is watching over you and smiling.”
A few days later, Miriam came to visit. She brought an envelope with her and handed it to Pauline.
“This is in appreciation of your kind heart,” Miriam said softly. “I hope this helps you and Eve.”
Pauline opened the envelope and gasped. Inside were $3000 in bills.
“Miriam, no. This is too much. I can’t accept this,” Pauline protested, her voice filled with disbelief.
Miriam insisted, her voice gentle but firm. “You can take it, Pauline. A mother knows what it feels like when you can’t do enough for your child. We made this by selling her toys. Please, keep it for Eve’s sake.”
Tears streamed down Pauline’s face as she hugged Miriam. “Thank you. This… this will help us so much. You have no idea.”
From that day forward, Miriam and Pauline became close friends. Miriam often visited, and she grew fond of Eve, spoiling her with affection. But the best part was that Pauline and Eve’s company helped Miriam heal, little by little, from the grief that had consumed her.
The lesson they both learned was clear: sometimes, the greatest gift you can give is your kindness. And sometimes, the person who brings joy to your life might also be the one who needs your help the most. Even though the doll had brought Eve so much happiness, it had been a reminder of Miriam’s painful loss. But it also brought them together, creating a bond that neither woman would ever forget.
In the end, the pain of the past gave way to a beautiful friendship that helped heal their wounds in ways they never expected.
