Victoria\u2019s children were too busy to call her most of the time, except for Christmas. But this year, her son discovered she was a cleaner at a store and stopped communicating with her altogether. Victoria thought she would have to spend the holidays alone until she heard a surprising knock on her door.<\/p>\n
Victoria was holding a broom tightly in her hands, but she had stopped cleaning abruptly because of the man who walked into the furniture store where she worked. It was her son, Matthew, staring at her with intense, wide eyes and a shocked expression. Victoria smiled and started walking towards him, but he turned around and ran out of the store.<\/p>\n
She was surprised by his reaction. Matthew had always been a mama\u2019s boy. But things always change as children get older, Victoria thought. She resolved to talk to him later and continued her job.<\/p>\n
When her husband died ten years ago, her children, Matthew and Marina, suggested selling their big house and getting her a tiny apartment, which would be easier to maintain. They wanted to use the rest of the money to start their respective businesses.<\/p>\n
Eventually, their endeavors took off, and they got so busy they could barely contact their mother every once in a while. But the holidays were coming up, and sadly, Victoria realized that her retirement money was not enough for her to live, much less buy presents for her children and grandchildren.<\/p>\n
So, at 65 years old, she started working as a cleaner at a furniture store at the mall. The work was not that hard, and she was still young enough to do it. With her job, she had enough money to pay her bills and had even bought all kinds of presents for everyone. However, she had not told her kids about it, afraid of how they might react.<\/p>\n
It seemed like keeping quiet was the best option, especially after seeing how Matthew seemed embarrassed seeing her. Still, she called him to explain everything.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m sorry, mother. I\u2019m busy right now. Can I call you later?\u201d Matthew said that night when Victoria called to explain. She worried and bit her bottom lip with her teeth.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut, honey. About today\u2014\u201d she replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cBye, mother,\u201d her son said more forcefully, and the line went dead.<\/p>\n
She couldn\u2019t figure out what was going on. Matthew\u2019s reaction seemed like an exaggeration. Being a cleaner was nothing to be ashamed of, it\u2019s honest work. Therefore, Victoria decided to call her daughter and see if she knew why her son was acting so weird.<\/p>\n
\u201cMom, I\u2019m busy. I\u2019ll call you later,\u201d Marina said as soon as she picked up Victoria\u2019s call. The older woman couldn\u2019t even get a word in.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt doesn\u2019t matter. I\u2019ll see them at Christmas and explain everything,\u201d she said to herself and continued with her night.<\/p>\n
Unfortunately, none of them had called her to settle things for the holiday. They always celebrated at one of their houses, but Victoria had no idea which of her kids was hosting the celebration this year. They hadn\u2019t called back as they promised either, and she was starting to worry.<\/p>\n
Two days before Christmas, she sat down with her neighbor, Lorena Atkinson, and unloaded all her worries. \u201cI\u2019m sure they\u2019ll call soon enough, Vickie,\u201d her friend said after hearing the entire story. The two sat in Victoria\u2019s living room, eating cookies and sipping coffee.<\/p>\n
\u201cI don\u2019t know. They\u2019ve never acted this way. They are not answering my calls anymore. I don\u2019t understand why. I\u2019m not doing anything wrong. What if they don\u2019t invite me for Christmas? What will I do?\u201d Victoria asked, holding her cup a little tighter as the anxious thoughts took hold.<\/p>\n
\u201cDon\u2019t worry. If they don\u2019t invite you, you\u2019ll come to my house. But I honestly don\u2019t get it either. There\u2019s nothing wrong with your job,\u201d Lorena added, popping a cookie in her mouth.<\/p>\n
Lorena, who was around the same age as Victoria, lived in the penthouse of Victoria\u2019s apartment building. Her whole family gathered in her home because it had so much room, so Christmas at her house would be fun.<\/p>\n
But Victoria wanted to spend the holidays with her family. This situation was so hard. Why are they acting this way? Why are they icing me out? she worried, despite Lorena\u2019s kind words.<\/p>\n
The two women finished their coffee, and Lorena left, promising that everything would be alright and giving her friend a warm hug. Sadly, Christmas morning came, and there was still no call from Marina or Matthew. Victoria cried that entire morning. She looked at the presents under her tree and grew sad as she went to cook her breakfast.<\/p>\n
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. It\u2019s probably Lorena. I guess I\u2019ll have to accept her invitation to Christmas dinner, Victoria thought gloomily, walking towards her door.<\/p>\n
\u201cSurprise!\u201d her kids and grandkids yelled at the door. Victoria clutched her chest, startled, but smiled immediately. \u201cWhat? What are you doing here?\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re here to see you, Grandma! This year, we\u2019re spending the whole Christmas day here!\u201d Marina\u2019s daughter, Elizabeth, yelled in excitement, walking in with a huge gift box. She was ten years old and the oldest of her grandchildren. The other four ranged between nine to five years old, and they all rushed into the apartment, going directly for the presents under her tree.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone, calm down. Let\u2019s get settled first, and Grandma will give you your gifts,\u201d Marina called to all the children and then focused on her mother. \u201cMom, hey. Sorry, we didn\u2019t call earlier. But this was sort of unplanned.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOh, don\u2019t worry. Come in. Come in!\u201d Victoria replied, using her hands to urge the adults inside. Marina\u2019s husband entered behind her, and then Matthew\u2019s wife came in, giving her a big hug.<\/p>\n
Matthew came in last and made eye contact with his mother. Victoria looked up at her son, and tears almost welled in her eyes. Then he pulled her in for another big hug and held on for a long time.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m so sorry, Mom. I\u2026 I don\u2019t know what came over me when I saw you at that store,\u201d he said, not letting go of his mother.<\/p>\n
Victoria was all too happy to keep holding her son. \u201cWere you ashamed of me?\u201d \u201cAt first, I thought it was that. I couldn\u2019t believe my mother was a cleaning lady. But then, after I received that call from your neighbor, I realized that I was more embarrassed with myself,\u201d Matthew answered.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat? My neighbor?\u201d Victoria asked, pulling a bit away to look into her son\u2019s eyes. \u201cYes, Mrs. Atkinson. She said she lives in this building. We met when you moved, and I gave her my contact information in case of emergencies,\u201d Matthew replied.<\/p>\n
\u201cAnyway, she called and chewed me out for not inviting you to Christmas and for not answering your calls. Then she said I should be ashamed of myself for having a successful business and making you work hard just to live. That\u2019s when it clicked.\u201d \u201cWhat clicked?\u201d Victoria asked.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was ashamed that I never paid you back for the money from your house. I mean, you gave it to us so easily and never asked for anything. And while we now have money, an expensive car, and remodeled our house, you were struggling to pay your bills. I felt like a failure, and I couldn\u2019t deal with it. I thought I was angry at you, but it was quite the opposite,\u201d Matthew explained, finally letting go.<\/p>\n
Just then, Victoria felt a hand on her back. It was Marina. \u201cI thought I was angry at you too. For not telling us you needed money. For not telling us you were cleaning a store. But I was mad at myself. You shouldn\u2019t have to work when the money you gave us is more than enough to keep you comfortable for the rest of your life. I can\u2019t believe we never thought about paying you back before.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cYou don\u2019t have to. It\u2019s ok,\u201d Victoria began, but Marina interrupted her gently. \u201cWe have to pay you back, especially after that chewing out from Mrs. Atkinson. She called me too. She said you worked so hard so our kids could have presents from their grandmother, and so we wouldn\u2019t have to worry about you,\u201d Marina continued.<\/p>\n
Victoria smiled and made a mental note to thank Lorena for doing that. \u201cLet\u2019s forget about it for now, ok?\u201d she appeased her children and turned to look at her grandkids. \u201cIt\u2019s time for everyone to open presents!\u201d<\/p>\n
They spent the best Christmas as a family. It was one Victoria would never forget. Marina and Matthew eventually paid their mother back, and they started depositing more money in her account just in case.<\/p>\n
But Victoria didn\u2019t quit her job. She liked it. Chatting with her coworkers was fun. She officially retired at 70 years old with a pretty decent amount of money in the bank.<\/p>\n
And her children never forgot to invite her and always answered her calls.<\/p>\n
What can we learn from this story?<\/p>\n
Honest work is nothing to be ashamed of. No one should be embarrassed by their job. Working hard to earn a living is all that matters.<\/p>\n
Don\u2019t forget the sacrifices your parents made for you. Marina and Matthew forgot about the money their mother gave them to start their companies. But they remembered after being scolded and made amends.<\/p>\n
Source: thecelebritist.com<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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