We can only imagine that flight attendants see it all. From hysterical passengers to needy first-class passengers searching for a bestie to gossip with, you name it; they would most likely have encountered it. That being said, one thing flight attendants don’t expect to encounter in the air or on the ground is their late husbands. While there are five stages of grief, interacting with your beloved isn’t one of them.
The Bills Don’t Pay Themselves
We’ve all been there – the alarm goes off, and you would do almost anything to spend the day in bed. Lena Garcia had a difficult start to the day, wishing that with everything within her, she could not face the world for the next 24 hours.
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However, as we all know, bills must be paid, so she dug deep and found the courage to tackle the day. As she moved through the house, their home, she tried to avoid everything that made her long for her late husband.
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In Two Minds
With a coffee flask in hand, Lena began her drive to the airport. Even though she was going through the most difficult time of her life, she forced herself to appreciate her surroundings. She knew she was blessed to live in stunning California, even if she didn’t have him by her side anymore.
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As she approached the airport, she felt herself tense up. Once again, she considered calling in and asking for more time. The airline had been so supportive of her loss that she knew they would understand. She also knew, however, that the longer she waited, the more difficult her return would become.
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The Awkward Sympathy
As she walked into the employee lounge, she felt the room tense up. People became stiff and awkward before embracing her with kind words and sympathy. She wished it would all end, and then she saw Cassandra making her way to her.
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Even though Cassandra had always been cordial with her, Lena felt that the woman disliked her. That being said, Cassandra showed genuine concern for her well-being and welcomed her much more warmly than expected.
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Isolated by Grief
Once Lena’s co-workers had expressed their regards, they returned to their seats and conversed with each other. Lena felt a mixture of relief and loneliness. Exhausted already, she flung herself onto a sofa and thought about how much her life had changed in the last month.
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She noticed that people spoke softly around her, probably as an act of kindness. However, she felt excluded by their actions, and she tried her best to ignore the lump in her throat and the tears that threatened to form.
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Too Late to Turn Back Now
Lena felt herself standing at a crossroads and didn’t know which direction to take. On the one hand, she didn’t want to go home because the home she so happily shared with her husband reminded her too much of her loss.
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She also didn’t feel ready to take to the skies just yet, and her awkwardness around her co-workers proved that. Feeling her anxiety growing rapidly, she decided to tell Cassandra that she wasn’t ready after all, but then they announced that it was time to board.
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Like Riding a Bicycle
Once Lena was on the airplane, her flight assistant instincts took over once again, and she was relieved to be busy after all this time. Cassandra had placed her on duties that wouldn’t include greeting the passengers.
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While she was grateful that she didn’t need to interact with the passengers, she wasn’t sure whether Cassandra had decided this as an act of kindness. Regardless, she was happy to avoid communicating with people as much as possible.
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A Friend in Need
Naturally, there will always be unpleasant passengers on a flight. However, these passengers seemed highly difficult. Lena felt herself tense up when she felt a hand on her arm, but she breathed a sigh of relief when she saw it was her close friend Amelia.
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After embracing, Amelia told Lena that she had specifically changed her schedule so that she could be there for Lena’s first flight back after her loss. Lena felt that the world wasn’t as dark and grim now that she had a true friend by her side.
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Prepare for Take-Off
Even though Lena was delighted to have Amelia by her side, she felt a pang of fear and anxiety rush through her when the pilot, Ralph Stanwick, announced that they had to prepare for take-off.
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Lena reminded herself that it would only be three hours before she felt land under her feet again and that she could do it. She had always prided herself on her calm demeanor while in the air.
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Broken Pieces
Puzzled by her fear, she reminded herself that she had taken this job to explore the world, meet new people, and challenge herself. Even though she knew that she wasn’t the same woman she was before her husband died, she still had it in her.
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Since her husband’s death, she felt like a broken version of herself. Her emotions, dreams, and goals were all broken pieces of the remarkable woman she used to be. Perhaps her confidence in the air was broken, too.
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Leaving it All Behind
Suddenly, Lena was desperate to go back home. She longed to be surrounded by everything that belonged to the man she had loved so deeply. She felt scared to leave the home she had shared with him behind.
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Amelia and Cassandra called her name and asked if she was alright. She told them that she was. Amelia seemed satisfied with her response, but Cassandra seemed unconvinced. Lena didn’t care what Cassandra thought; she just needed to get through this flight.
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Focusing on the Job
While the way that Cassandra was watching Lena made her furious, she decided to ignore the woman. She had never been a real friend anyway. Lena was flooded with relief when the pilot announced that they were free to resume their duties.
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She kept herself distracted by offering drinks to the passengers, and it felt great to be active and away from Cassandra’s eagle eye once again. Lena felt more confident as she made her way from passenger to passenger.
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Looking at the One She Loves
Approaching a man sitting by the window, she asked politely, “What would you like to drink, Sir?” The man answered that he would appreciate a coffee. Lena couldn’t understand what she was seeing when her eyes met his.
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In front of her sat Matt, her late husband. Lena couldn’t comprehend what she was seeing. Her mind ran a million miles a second as she wondered whether this was a vivid dream or an out-of-body experience.
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Not Just Similar in Appearance
Time seemed to stand still as Lena’s mind tried to reason what she was seeing. The man sitting in front of her didn’t just resemble her late husband; everything about him was exactly the same as Matt. He smiled at her awkwardly, not knowing why she seemed frozen at the spot.
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Lena noticed his teeth were just like Matt’s. The way his forehead wrinkled ever so slightly was just like Matt’s. It was also Matt’s beautiful, soft brown eyes staring back at her. She felt as if she was hyperventilating as the events of his death all surfaced.
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The Worst Day Ever
October 23rd, 2022, was the day that Lena’s life would change forever. It would always be the worst day of her entire life. That was the day that she lost her husband, and his last words, “I think it’s to the left,” would ring in her ears for years to come.
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The day had begun like so many before it. Matt got up early and made them breakfast, and they went hiking before visiting the Halloween Fun Carnival. If only Lena had known the true horrors she would face there, she would never have attended the carnival.
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The Haunting Wheeze
Lena had always felt that her husband had two sides. The good side of Matt was funny, romantic, nerdy, and cute. However, Matt had a darker side. This version of her husband was short-tempered. Unfortunately for Lena, Matt’s unwell side came out at the carnival, changing her life forever.
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Even though Lena loved her husband more than anyone else, the version of him that she met in the Fright Fest Hall of Mirrors would scare her for the rest of her life. As they were navigating their way through the Hall of Mirrors, Matt began wheezing before collapsing shortly after.
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All Over
It seemed like a lifetime before the EMTs arrived, and by that time, Matt was red, sweaty, and unconscious. Even though Lena was more frightened than she had ever been, she didn’t think that this would be their last day together.
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Matt died of a heart attack shortly after arriving at the hospital. Lena and his grieving mother held each other as they screamed hysterically. Since Matt had been an only child, Lena knew that his mother’s life would never be the same again either.
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Where Are Your Glasses?
Lena was still transfixed in the airplane, staring at her late husband sitting in front of her. She heard herself ask, “Where are your glasses, Matt?” The man moved in his seat uncomfortably before asking her what she meant.
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Lena felt a firm hand on her back and heard Cassandra as she addressed the man now, “Coffee, right, Sir? Coming right up.” With that, Lena headed straight for the bathroom and burst into uncontrollable tears.
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Matt’s Doppelganger
As tears ran down her face, she managed to keep herself from screaming in pain, frustration, and fear. She couldn’t work out what was going on. She only knew what she saw, and that was her late husband, Matt.
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Her mind tried to reason it all away, and she began to think that it was probably his doppelganger. That was the only plausible explanation. The resemblance, however, was so uncanny that Lena couldn’t accept it.
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Please Check Seat 38F
As Lena opened the bathroom door, she saw her dear friend Amelia with concern in her eyes. Amelia engulfed her in a hug as Lena began to cry hysterically once again. Amelia mentioned that it was too early for her to return to work.
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“It’s not that, Amelia,” Lena said through teary breaths before adding, “He’s here. Matt is on the plane. Please check seat 38F, and you will see.” She could see that sympathy in her friend’s eyes and hated how weak and desperate she felt.
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The Moment of Truth
Being a good friend, Amelia didn’t argue, and she left to pay the man in seat 38F a visit. Time seemed to stand still as Lena waited for her friend to come back and share what she saw. Either the man looked like her late husband, or she was losing her mind.
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Amelia confirmed that the man looked a lot like Matt. “Try not to think about it, Lena,” Amelia suggested, “It’s probably just a crazy coincidence.” However, something sinister was going on. Lena could feel it in her gut.
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Upon Second Glance
Lena dug deep for courage and marched back to the man. He seemed surprised and concerned when he saw her. She apologized for her behavior, and he assured her that everyone had bad days.
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Hoping that she wasn’t pushing her luck too much, she asked him for his name. Luckily, he smiled and gave her his business card. Holding her breath, she looked at the name on the card.
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Be Reasonable
Kevin Jones, the card read. She felt a combination of relief and disappointment as she expected the name on the card to be Matteo Garcia. Thanking the man, she tried to return the card, but he told her to keep it.
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Lena knew that the man wasn’t Matt. Even though he looked so much like Matt, and even his mannerisms were spot-on, he was Kevin Jones. As hard as it was, Lena forced herself to be realistic and to return to her duties.
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A Discomforting Comfort
For the rest of the flight, Lena walked past Kevin Jones as much as she could. Every time her eyes saw the face of the man she had lost, she felt a mixture of discomfort in knowing that he was gone and comfort in the fact that he seemed to sit in front of her.
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As the plane landed and began to disembark, Lena felt like she was losing Matt all over again. His doppelganger would collect his things and walk out of her life forever. Her fingers ran over his business card, but it offered little relief.
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Returning Home With Questions
Lena knew there wasn’t much she could do to continue interacting with Kevin Jones. Their paths would split, and she would most likely never see him again. As she got on the return flight home, she just couldn’t let go of what had happened.
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All kinds of thoughts swamped her mind, including questions surrounding Matt’s death. For the first time since his death, she began to question whether he was even dead, and yet she had been the one to identify his body in the morgue.
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The Phone Call
As Lena stepped into the home that she had longed so much to return to, she was overwhelmed by sadness and loneliness. She couldn’t help but think her path was meant to cross with Matt once again and that she should have followed his doppelganger.
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The day had taken an emotional toll on her, and she could do nothing but sit and weep endlessly. The ringing of the phone broke her out of her melancholy state. It was her mother-in-law, whom she had gotten closer to since Matt’s death.
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The Dinner That Changed Everything
Lena was relieved to hear a friendly voice on the line. Her mother-in-law, Miranda, invited her to dinner the following night. Even after 24 hours, Lena couldn’t let the events of the flight go, and she took Kevin Jones’ business card with her.
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She felt sadness for Miranda as she watched the woman set the table. Miranda had aged drastically in the last month, a sure sign of profound grief. She really hoped that bringing Matt’s doppelganger up wouldn’t do further harm, but she had to get answers.
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Her Initial Reaction
Lena prepared to ask Miranda about Kevin Jones, and when the opportunity arose, she took it. She mentioned seeing a man who looked exactly like Miranda’s son and asked for his business card.
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Miranda froze and sat motionless for a few seconds, and Lena knew instantly that Miranda knew something that she wasn’t ready to share with her. Just as she suspected, Miranda recovered and wanted to continue with dinner.
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If, at First, You Don’t Succeed
Disappointed, Lena put the business card back in her pocket. Her mother-in-law was eating and talking like the doppelganger had never been mentioned. As the dinner continued, her mother-in-law’s bizarre reaction bothered her more and more.
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As Lena prepared the dessert she had brought, she decided to try again. Her approach was to bring it up and gently push Miranda for information. She never expected Miranda to react quite the way she did.
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Just Drop It!
The second Lena mentioned Kevin Jones’ name again, Miranda froze up again. The air in the room seemed to grow thick, and an unpleasant awkwardness hung around them both. Miranda broke the silence, first by slamming the table and then by screaming at Lena.
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Miranda slammed the table with both hands clenched tightly into fists. She was fuming. Staring at Lena furiously, Miranda shouted, “I’ve already told you that I don’t know anything about it! Just drop it!” Lena nodded, indicating that she would, but, of course, this was only the beginning.
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Reaching Out
While Lena was shocked and upset by her mother-in-law’s reaction, she had to dig further. She knew that she couldn’t push Miranda anymore, but there was one person who might be able to shine some light on this bizarre situation – Kevin Jones.
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After she got home, she decided to call Kevin Jones and ask him about Matt. Even though she knew it would be a strange call, she was desperate to get answers.
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I Have Some Theories
Lena felt like her heart might explode as she listened to the phone ring. She felt nervous and unsure, and she hoped that he wouldn’t cut her off like Miranda had. Kevin’s reaction, however, left her speechless.
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“I’ve been thinking a lot, too, about what happened. I have some theories if you are interested,” he said politely on the phone. Naturally, Lena was very interested in his theories, and she felt the hairs on the back of her neck prickle as he continued to talk.
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Miranda’s Secret
Kevin told Lena that he was adopted when he was two years old. While his adoptive parents were terrific, he often wondered about his biological mother. However, he couldn’t know because it was a closed adoption.
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Kevin told Lena that he wore glasses as an adult but had recently had Lasik surgery, so he no longer needed them. As Kevin spoke, it all made sense to Lena, and she understood Miranda’s aggressive reaction now.
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What Are the Odds?
Kevin was very forthcoming and even showed concern for Lena. He told her that he was willing to show her his ID, documents, and any paperwork that would back up his story. He also told her that he would never lead her on, and she believed him.
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Lena told him about Miranda’s reaction, and he agreed that the older woman was most likely hiding something. Now, they both knew what it was. Given Miranda’s reaction, they knew she would simply admit everything, so they devised a plan.
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The Perfect Plan
Kevin was eager to help Lena with her plan, and she understood why. Having lived with unanswered questions for so long, Kevin also needed to get the answers he so longed for. They arranged for Kevin to fly to Lena a week later.
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The two of them had the perfect plan, leaving Miranda with no choice but to admit the truth. As the days passed, Lena doubted herself, wondering how much pain her actions would inflict on Miranda, but she deserved to know the truth.
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The Big Reveal Dinner
Lena picked Kevin up from the airport, and she was taken aback again by how much he looked like Matt. She was sure Miranda would be blown away by the resemblance, too, so she invited Miranda to dinner.
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As Lena prepared dinner, Kevin volunteered to help, but Lena knew that he would only be a distraction in the kitchen. She had to be strong because he wasn’t her late husband reincarnated, and she needed to remember that.
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Glad You Could Make It
By the time that Miranda arrived, Lena was riddled with nerves. She had prepared a gorgeous meal, and everything was already on the table. Kevin was seated at the table, eagerly waiting for Miranda to arrive.
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When Miranda walked in the door, Lena thought her legs would give out with anxiety, but she stood firm, smiling warmly at her mother-in-law. Miranda began with the usual pleasantries as she hung her coat on the coat rack.
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The Two Sides of Miranda
As Lena followed her mother-in-law into the dining room, she considered stopping her before she saw Kevin. Just like Matt had two sides, a pleasant one and one that scared her, Miranda also had two sides.
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While Matt was still alive, her mother-in-law was abrasive and rude. That was the unpleasant side of Miranda. However, ever since his death, she had been supportive and loving. That was the side of Miranda that Lena didn’t want to hurt.
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Ran Out of the House
The second Miranda’s eyes fell on Kevin, she froze in her tracks. Time seemed to stand still as the two of them looked at each other curiously. It was Kevin who broke the silence. “Hi, Miranda. I’m,” he began, but Miranda turned and left the room before he could continue.
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The older woman charged past Lena quickly, slamming the door as she left the house. She had left so hurriedly that her coat was still hanging in Lena’s lounge. Kevin sat motionless, not really knowing what to do.
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The Breakdown
Lena told Kevin to stay seated as she charged after Miranda. Meanwhile, Miranda realized that she couldn’t get her car to start because her keys were still in her coat. She began storming past Lena, refusing to talk to her.
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“Don’t I deserve to know the truth, Miranda?” Lena demanded. “I loved Matt, too!” It was at that moment, outside in the driveway, that Lena saw weakness in her mother-in-law for the first time as the woman began crying hysterically.
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You Sacrificed My Happiness
Since Miranda had never shown much weakness, Lena was taken aback and tried to comfort the hysterical woman. However, Miranda pushed her away angrily before telling Lena that she’d never forgive her for this.
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Naturally, Lena felt that this was unfair, but Miranda continued to tell Lena she had sacrificed her happiness in search of her own answers and that having Matt’s lookalike in her life wouldn’t bring Matt back.
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I Couldn’t Keep Both
Lena refused to leave it and sat with Miranda until she began to calm down. Through her tears, Miranda finally admitted the truth. “I loved them both but couldn’t keep them both, Lena. I just couldn’t.”
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Sighing deeply, she looked at Lena and said, “OK, let’s sit down and discuss this, Lena. I am only willing to go over everything that happened once so you and Kevin can sit with me and listen carefully.”
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This Goes Back to the ’80s
Lena and Kevin sat quietly, waiting for Miranda to share her story. The older woman was very emotional, but she pushed herself and continued. “It all started in 1984,” she finally said, wiping a tear from her cheek.
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Miranda was enjoying her prom, and in fact, she was crowned prom queen. Little did everyone know that Miranda had a secret. She was pregnant at the tender age of 17. Luckily, she had a plan.
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No One Will Know
Miranda’s parents insisted that the pregnancy be kept a secret and that the baby would go to an adoptive agency the second it was born. Her parents valued the family’s reputation greatly and feared that a scandal like this would do some damage.
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Miranda looked at Lena and Kevin and told them that she never told the father about the baby. Later in June, only two months after she’d been crowned Prom Queen, Miranda went into labor.
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There’s Two of Them
Miranda’s labor went smoothly and quickly. In fact, the young girl didn’t even need an epidural. There was just one snag – there were two babies. The twins were born healthy.
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As Miranda saw her baby boys, she knew that giving them up would be a mistake and that she simply couldn’t live without them. Becoming a mother had changed her forever.
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On the Run
Miranda knew that her parents would not be on board with her plan to keep the babies, so she did what she needed to do. She took her babies and ran away from the hospital late one evening.
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For the first few days, she stayed with friends and succeeded in staying off of her parents’ radar. Of course, there wasn’t any social media back then, so finding someone who didn’t want to be found was harder than it is today.
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An Impossible Choice that Had to be Made
Miranda began to cry uncontrollably as she told Lena and Kevin that taking care of two kids had become too difficult for her. Ultimately, she chose randomly, leaving her beloved son on the steps of a fire station with the intention of never returning.
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Kevin, too, was crying at this point, most likely wondering what his life would have been like if he hadn’t been left behind at the fire station. Lena felt deeply sorry for her mother-in-law.
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Genuine Sympathy
Even though Lena wasn’t a mother, she knew what loving someone meant, and she felt her heart go out to Miranda. The story made Lena understand her mother-in-law’s abrasive personality much more.
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Miranda looked over at Kevin and apologized genuinely. Kevin responded by saying that he wasn’t mad, happy, or sad. Instead, he was emotionless because it was all a lot to take in. He needed time to process what he had heard.
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One Day at a Time
Lena knew that all three of them needed time to work through everything. She and Miranda were still mourning Matt’s death, and Kevin was grieving the loss of a brother he never knew.
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Lena felt that healing would be easier if they were together, as Matt would have wanted. She invited Kevin to stay with her so that they could get to know each other, and he gladly accepted.
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Dedication and Hard Work
The three of them knew that they needed to be dedicated to the process to overcome their history and stand a chance of being a family. Some days were more challenging, but Lena felt they were on the right path.
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Even though Matt was the love of her life, she began to love Kevin like the brother she never had. Kevin and Miranda also worked hard to form a mother-son relationship for which they both longed.
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One Big Happy Family
When you’re faced with unimaginable loss and incredible pain, the best you can do is give your best every day. By doing exactly that, the three of them found that they grew closer and that their bond became unbreakable.
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As time passed, Lena felt at peace, knowing that Matt would have been pleased with how everything turned out. Even though he would never be by her side again, she had a loving family.