Sarah Mitchell raised her son Noah on her own. Although she struggled, she worked tirelessly to provide for him and cover his educational expenses. After high school, Noah decided to attend a university on the other side of the country, in Boston.
Though Sarah felt a deep sadness in her heart, she supported Noah's decision and encouraged him to study hard and pursue his dreams. She remained in Oregon, and they stayed in touch during his first few years in college, with Noah calling her whenever he could.
Sarah never had the chance to visit Noah during his college years. The main way they communicated was through phone calls. At first, these calls were frequent, but as time passed, they became less and less frequent. However, Sarah cherished every single one.
When Noah was about to graduate, he called his mom to share the exciting news. "Hey, mom!" he greeted her over the phone.
"Hi Noah, it's so great to hear your voice! How have you been?" Sarah replied with excitement.
"I'm doing great, mom! I wanted to tell you that I'm finally graduating in just two weeks. Would you be able to come for the ceremony?" Noah asked.
Hearing this, Sarah's heart swelled with pride. Her eyes welled up with tears as she imagined her son walking across the stage. "Of course, Noah. I'll be there. I wouldn't miss it for the world. I’m so proud of you!" she said, smiling through her tears.
After the call, Sarah quickly began looking for flights to Boston. She was shocked by how expensive they were, and it dawned on her that she didn’t have enough money for both the round-trip flight and a special gift for Noah's graduation.
Determined to make it work, Sarah decided to take on extra babysitting jobs to raise the money. She worked long hours, taking care of other people's children, and soon, she had enough to buy both her flight ticket and a gift for Noah.
Excited, Sarah went to a department store and spent a few minutes thinking about the perfect gift. After some deliberation, she chose a sophisticated wristwatch. "Every professional needs a nice watch," Sarah thought. "Noah will appreciate it."
"Could you wrap this up nicely with a ribbon?" she asked the saleslady. "This is a graduation gift for my son. He's graduating from one of Boston's best universities!" Sarah beamed.
"How wonderful! You must be so proud. Congratulations to him!" the saleslady said while wrapping the watch.
A few days later, Sarah flew to Boston. Noah picked her up at the airport, and together, they made their way to the university, where the graduation ceremony was about to begin.
Eager to capture the moment, Sarah took out her phone and started snapping photos. When it was Noah's turn to receive his diploma, she stood up in excitement and cheered with all her heart. "That’s my son!" she shouted, her voice filled with joy.
After the ceremony, Noah greeted her with a tight hug. "Oh, Noah, congratulations!" Sarah exclaimed, holding him close.
"Thanks, mom. I couldn’t have done it without you," Noah smiled. "Let’s go celebrate with a nice dinner," he said, guiding his mother toward the exit of the university.
The two went to a fancy Boston steakhouse, where they enjoyed a delicious dinner. Sarah had initially been concerned about the bill, but Noah reassured her. "I took on a part-time job while studying, mom. This dinner is on me. Thank you for everything you've done for me," he said, gently squeezing her hand.
Tears welled up in Sarah's eyes as she gazed at her son. She had raised him to be a thoughtful and kind man. "I'm so proud of you, Noah," she said softly. "I also have something for you. It’s not much, but I hope you like it."
She handed Noah the carefully wrapped gift box. "You really didn’t have to get me anything, mom," Noah said as he opened the gift.
When he saw the watch, his eyes widened. "Wow, this is beautiful, mom. Thank you so much," he said, his voice full of gratitude. "I’m going to wear this every day at work. That way, I’ll always feel close to you."
That evening, Sarah and Noah spent the night enjoying each other's company, taking photos, and exploring the sights of Boston.
After a few more days in Boston, Sarah had to return to Oregon. "Will you visit home soon, Noah?" she asked, suddenly feeling the loneliness creep back in as she thought about being on her own again.
"I'll try, mom. I have a few job interviews coming up, but I promise I’ll call you," Noah assured her.
However, that promise didn’t last long. Initially, Noah called his mom regularly, but over time, the calls grew less frequent until they stopped altogether.
One day, during one of their last conversations, Sarah confided in him. "I’ve lost so much weight, Noah. I don’t really have an appetite anymore," she admitted.
"Please, mom, you need to eat. Go outside, talk to your neighbors, and take walks in the park," Noah said, but he shrugged off her concerns as he always did.
Over the years, Noah was preoccupied with his work on Wall Street and his busy personal life with his girlfriend, a model. His phone calls to Sarah became rare.
Then one day, Noah decided to open his own firm in Boston. To do that, he needed some important documents from Oregon. Since he couldn’t ask Sarah to mail them, he made an unannounced trip home. But when he arrived, he was shocked by what he found.
The house was in disrepair—cobwebs covered the walls, the fence lay in ruins, and the grass had grown wild. Inside, the house was empty, except for some dilapidated furniture.
Noah tried calling his mom, but there was no answer. He walked over to the next-door neighbor’s house to inquire.
"Mr. Adams, it’s Noah. Do you know where my mom is? What happened to our house?" he asked.
"Ah, Noah! It’s been years! Your mom… well, remember that huge storm a few months ago? It caused a lot of damage to the neighborhood. She couldn’t afford the repairs, and she didn’t want to ask you for help. So, she moved into a nursing home," Mr. Adams explained.
"What? How could I not know about this?" Noah asked, feeling a knot in his stomach. "Where is she now?"
After receiving the nursing home address, Noah quickly made his way there. When he saw Sarah, frail and sitting in a wheelchair, he felt a rush of guilt. "Mom," he whispered, tears filling his eyes.
"Is that you, Noah?" Sarah asked weakly, not fully recognizing him at first.
"Mom, I am so sorry. I should’ve been there for you. I’ve been so selfish," Noah said, sinking to his knees in front of her, his heart heavy with regret.
Sarah gently placed her hand on his shoulder. "Noah, don’t do that. Get up. It’s okay," she said, though her eyes were filled with tears. She never expected to see her son again, and now that he was here, she could only feel relief.
"No, mom, I’m sorry. You should never have been alone," Noah said. "I’ll take care of you. I’ll move back home and fix everything."
Noah kept his promise. He repaired their house and took Sarah out of the nursing home. He decided to run his business from Oregon instead of Boston and even invited his girlfriend to live with them.
The three of them lived together, and life slowly returned to a sense of happiness. Sarah helped out at home, cooking meals and taking care of chores while Noah and his girlfriend worked. It was a new beginning for all of them.
