After his wife’s passing, Walter stopped celebrating Thanksgiving. The holiday, once full of warmth and laughter, became just another day in a silent home. Walter moved through life without much emotion, avoiding the reminders of his past
He walked through the supermarket, his mind elsewhere, as Thanksgiving decorations filled the aisles. He reached for his usual small grocery set: mac and cheese, eggs, bread, and milk. When he reached the checkout, a familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.
“Walter!” David, an old friend, greeted him with a smile. “Hosting Thanksgiving again this year?”
Walter shook his head. “No,” he answered flatly. “Not anymore.”
David frowned. “Your place used to be the one everyone gathered at. Why not now?”
Walter turned away. “Because now, I’m alone,” he said, walking away.
As he reached home, Walter noticed a young woman on his porch, looking lost. She was pregnant, barely eighteen, and clearly upset. She introduced herself as Lily, a former student of his late wife.
Walter frowned. “What are you doing here?” he asked coldly.
Lily explained how she’d been kicked out by her family when they found out she was pregnant and had nowhere else to go.
Against his better judgment, Walter let her in, though he didn’t offer much beyond a place to stay. As days passed, Lily’s quiet presence seemed to bring something back into Walter’s life—an unexpected warmth.
On the day before Thanksgiving, Lily shared that she was having a girl. When she mentioned naming her “Rose,” Walter was taken aback. Tears filled his eyes, and for the first time in a long while, he felt something beyond grief.
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