Emma rearranged some of the papers on her father’s desk a few days after the funeral. She and her mother had to pack up some of his belongings and clean up his office. Her father always kept important documents in there, and Emma needed to find them so her mother wouldn’t have to deal with anything later.

As she passed the papers from one hand to another, she noticed something unusual. One envelope came from a law firm in downtown Orlando, even though they lived in Tampa. It was only about an hour’s drive, but Emma felt uneasy. Something inside her told her to open it and see what it was.

She ripped the envelope open, and to her surprise, she found her father’s will. She was stunned. From what they knew, he hadn’t had the chance to make one. He’d been healthy, and his sudden heart attack had taken them all by surprise. Emma skimmed through the legal text until she reached a specific section, and her jaw dropped.

“Mom! Mom!”

“Emma, what’s wrong?” her mother, Linda, called as she entered the room.

“Look!” Emma exclaimed, holding up the papers.

“Wait, let me get my glasses,” her mother said, putting on her reading glasses and taking the papers from Emma. “Oh my.”

“Mom, did you know about this?” Emma asked, her voice shaking.

“No, honey. I had no idea. What does it say?” Linda replied, her face filled with concern.

“It says the house and everything else go to someone named Ben. Who is that?” Emma asked, panic rising in her chest. She couldn’t believe her father had left everything to someone else.

“I don’t know, Emma. This is so strange. Are you sure this is real?” Linda replied, her worry mounting as she looked at Emma.

“I’m not sure. But we need to call the law firm,” Emma said, trying to stay calm.

She searched online for the law firm and found their contact information. After making some calls, they learned that her father’s lawyer was a man named Driscoll. They were connected to his private line, and he agreed to meet them the next day.

The following morning, Emma and Linda drove to Orlando, still puzzled by the whole situation. As they drove, Emma couldn’t stop wondering: Why Orlando? Who was Ben? Why hadn’t her mother known about him? What was her father hiding?

They arrived at the law office and were led to Mr. Driscoll’s office. After a short wait, the lawyer appeared, accompanied by a man who looked to be around Emma’s age. It only took a moment for Emma to know who he was.

“Linda and Emma, I presume? It’s a pleasure to meet you. I’m Mr. Driscoll,” the lawyer said, shaking their hands. “And this is Ben, the person mentioned in your father’s will.”

“Who are you, and why are you in the will?” Emma demanded. Her emotions were running high, and she was angry that her mother might lose everything because of this stranger.

“Who am I? Who are you?” Ben shot back, his frown deepening.

“Everyone, please calm down,” Mr. Driscoll said, trying to diffuse the tension. “This is a complicated matter. I was going to reach out to you after the funeral, but since you called first, here we are. Your father kept a secret from you both.”

“Your father?” Ben asked in a hushed tone, glancing at Emma.

“Yes, he’s my father,” Emma replied, her heart racing.

“Your father was also Ben’s father, Emma,” Mr. Driscoll revealed.

Emma’s eyes widened in disbelief. Her mother stood frozen, looking between Emma and Ben, and Ben appeared just as confused. Mr. Driscoll continued.

“Your father asked me to explain this, as he couldn’t do it himself. A few years ago, he reconnected with Ben after finding him on social media, correct?” Mr. Driscoll asked, looking at Ben, who nodded. “Would you like to continue, Ben?”

“Well, there’s not much to say. We started meeting a few times a month, but he never mentioned you,” Ben said, glancing at Emma. “I thought I was his only child.”

“No, he didn’t,” Emma whispered, piecing together the truth she had sensed deep inside.

Mr. Driscoll went on, “Your father had his reasons for keeping this a secret. Years ago, he left Ben’s mother after discovering she was pregnant. Later, he met Linda and started a family. When he reconnected with Ben, he wanted to make amends for the years he had missed and decided to leave him everything.”

Emma and Linda were both silent, processing what they had just learned. “I suppose we’ll have to leave the house,” Linda said quietly, resigned to the situation.

“No, Mom. This is still your house,” Emma insisted.

“Not according to this will. Your father owned it before we were married. I’m not sure if I have any legal rights to it,” Linda replied, her voice uncertain.

Ben finally spoke up. “I don’t want to take your house. You can keep it. I don’t need it. I don’t even want to move to Tampa. My work is here.”

“Thank you,” Emma said, breathing a sigh of relief. She had been worried about what would happen to her mother, but Ben’s understanding gave her a sense of peace.

The conversation continued, and Mr. Driscoll agreed to help them with the necessary arrangements. Ben also proposed splitting the inheritance. “I didn’t come for the money. I just wanted to know my father,” he said.

After the meeting, Ben gave Emma his phone number. “In case you ever need to reach me,” he said with a small smile before walking out.

Days later, everything was sorted out, and Emma thought the ordeal was finally over. But then, she called Ben unexpectedly, and they had a nice conversation. He was married with two kids, and Emma had two cats.

They spoke regularly, and Emma invited him to meet the rest of her family. Over time, Ben became an integral part of her life, and she spoiled his kids rotten.

Though she still felt a bit angry at their father for keeping them apart for so long, Emma realized he had been scared. He was only human, after all, and mistakes were part of life.

What can we learn from this story?

Everyone makes mistakes. We all make blunders. What’s important is that we learn from them and try to do better. Mr. Moss didn’t get to introduce Ben to his family, but he did his best to make up for it.

Sometimes, a stranger can become a vital part of your life. Despite their rocky start, Emma and Ben came to think of each other as siblings, though they were initially unsure of each other.

Share this story with your friends. It might brighten their day and inspire them.