Being a working mom caring for twin boys, Bev is often exhausted. But after one particularly tiring day, Bev is left running on fumes. She wakes up the next morning, ready to tackle the chores she left unattended the night before, only to discover they’ve been done for her already. But, who did it?
Balancing work, taking care of my energetic twin boys, and managing household chores has been overwhelming lately. By the end of the day, I just feel like I’m running on fumes. It’s just me and my six-year-old twins, Jake and Liam, and survival mode has become my default setting.
Twin boys sitting at a table | Source: Midjourney
Last night was particularly stressful. I stayed up late hoping to scrub the kitchen and prep to pack the boys’ lunchboxes for school, but eventually gave up on the tasks.
“This is tomorrow’s problem,” I yawned to myself.
I set my alarm for an early wake-up, hoping to get a head start on the day.
A tired woman | Source: Midjourney
“I just need a day,” I said to myself as I got into bed. “I just need to breathe.”
I could hear my boys snoring softly in their room as I dozed off.
When my alarm went off the next morning, I dragged myself out of bed, dreading the tasks ahead. I loved my boys. I loved being a mom. And I loved doing things for them.
An alarm clock | Source: Midjourney
But as I walked into the kitchen, I stopped in my tracks.
“What on earth is this?” I said aloud.
To my astonishment, the kitchen was spotless, gleaming from a thorough cleaning. On the counter, I saw two neatly packed lunchboxes, complete with healthy snacks and little notes for my boys.
A clean kitchen | Source: Midjourney
“Mommy, you packed us extra snacks!” Jake exclaimed, rubbing his sleepy eyes.
I was stunned, and I couldn’t figure out who could have done this.
“Yes!” I lied, trying to hide my true feelings. “You’re growing boys and need snacks.”
The boys looked at me and beamed.
A close-up of a packed lunch | Source: Midjourney
“Now, you eat your cereal and then we’ll get you both dressed for school.”
While the boys were occupied, I checked the house for any signs of an intruder but found nothing unusual. But also, why would an intruder clean my home and make lunch for the kids?
“Maybe it was Mom,” I said as I picked up the phone to call her.
A bowl of cereal on a counter | Source: Midjourney
“No, honey,” she said when I told her what happened. “I didn’t come over yet. I thought that I’d come over this evening. Maybe it was that nice old neighbor you have. She loves the boys.”
“Yeah, maybe,” I agreed.
“But you need to make sure that your doors are locked, Bev. This isn’t safe, even if it is someone who only wants to take care of you. Are you sure that everything else is fine in the house?”
A woman holding her phone | Source: Midjourney
“Let me check,” I said.
I walked around the living room looking at all our expensive things. The TV, our sound system, my laptop, everything was perfectly left in place.
“Yeah, everything is here and fine!” I said.
A fancy living room setup | Source: Midjourney
As I let the boys finish their breakfast, I made a smoothie for myself. Suddenly, tears of relief and gratitude filled my eyes, and I realized that someone had gone out of their way to help me when I felt at my wits’ end.
This was a big deal for me. This was about someone reaching out and helping me take care of my children.
Though I didn’t know who the mysterious helper was, their kindness gave me the boost I needed to start my day.
A person making a smoothie | Source: Midjourney
When I got to work, I told my friend Mel about what had happened.
“I don’t understand why you’re not freaked out, Bev,” she said, making coffee.
“Because nothing was taken! There was nothing out of place or anything. The kitchen was just cleaned up, with the dishes done and put away. And the boys’ lunch was sorted too. It was very sweet!”
A woman sitting in an office | Source: Midjourney
“Yeah, it is,” Mel said. “And I like that someone did it. But I think that you should speak to the police. Bev, you have two young kids. You cannot take this for granted.”
I nodded.
I hadn’t thought about it in that way before. I didn’t think that it was someone who was out there to hurt us. But I also didn’t want to put my sons in a situation where they would be harmed.
A woman lost in thought | Source: Midjourney
“Okay,” I told Mel. “I’ll look into it further.”
But still, I didn’t want to get the police involved yet. And after Mel had said it, not knowing who had been in my house felt unsettling.
I decided to get up earlier the next morning and hide in the pantry. I would be able to see everything hiding behind the door leading to the kitchen.
A pantry in the kitchen | Source: Midjourney
“Probably should have brought my phone along,” I muttered to myself, thinking of my phone sitting on my nightstand.
Not long after, there was a sound at the window.
From my hiding place, I saw the window being opened from the outside and a man climbing in. He began washing the dishes and then started preparing the lunch boxes for the kids.
A reflection of a man in a window | Source: Midjourney
“Who are you?” I demanded, pushing the door open.
The man looked startled.
“Please, don’t call the police. My name is Alex. I know this looks strange, but there’s a reason.”
A startled man | Source: Midjourney
I hesitated. I was standing close to the home phone, and I could dial 911 in a heartbeat if I moved fast enough. But I also wanted to listen to the man.
“Then you need to explain right now,” I said.
The man took a deep breath.
A frowning woman | Source: Midjourney
“My name is Alex, and I don’t think you remember me. But a few months ago, I was homeless and starving. And I was walking past your driveway. I hadn’t eaten in days and I was ready to give up.”
I nodded. I vaguely remembered the interaction.
“Well, you ran inside and got me some food and water. That act of kindness gave me hope. And then your boys ran outside to the car because they were getting ready for school.”
A man holding his head | Source: Midjourney
I smiled at Alex.
“After that,” Alex continued, “I managed to make my interview at the ice cream store. I live in a room at the back now, so I’m slowly getting back on my feet. I walk past here sometimes, and I’ve seen you looking tired. I wanted to help. This was the only way I thought of how I could do that.”
“But why come through the window?” I asked, still wary.
An ice-cream store | Source: Midjourney
“I didn’t want to intrude or scare you,” he explained. “I figured that it was less invasive than knocking on your door so early. I thought that it was the best way to help without making you uncomfortable.”
I let out a sigh, the tension in my shoulders easing.
“You should have just knocked on the door and explained this. It’s not safe for either of us to have you sneaking around.”
A woman smiling in relief | Source: Midjourney
Alex nodded.
“I understand. I just didn’t know how to approach without seeming like a burden.”
I wasn’t sure how I felt. On one hand, yesterday was the first time Alex had made lunch for the boys. But I had noticed the clean kitchen and living room before. I just thought I had done it the night before and was too tired to acknowledge it.
A woman cleaning | Source: Midjourney
But on the other hand, I wasn’t sure it was safe to have a stranger come in and out as they pleased.
“Thank you, Alex,” I said. “Your help means more than you know, but from now on, please come through the door. We can figure out a way for you to help that doesn’t involve sneaking in.”
A relieved smile spread across his face.
A man smiling | Source: Midjourney
“Thank you for understanding. I’d like that,” he said.
From that day on, Alex became a welcome presence in our home. He helped out where he could between his job and became a friend to both me and the boys.
Every morning, he would knock on the door, and we would chat and have coffee while he cleaned up and packed lunches.
A mom with twin boys | Source: Midjourney
What would you have done?
