Teenage boy Charlie struggles to understand why his peers receive expensive presents while he is left listening to his mother’s excuses. He discovers that his mother has prepared 15 gifts for his future birthdays. But after learning the reason behind it, he finally realizes what he truly wants.
Charlie, a 15-year-old with a backpack slung lazily over one shoulder, trudged out of school alongside his classmate Mark.
The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the parking lot, where students chattered and cars honked in a chaotic symphony.
“Did you hear? We’ve got another test on Friday,” Mark said, breaking the silence.
Charlie groaned, his shoulders slumping.
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“Oh no, not again! Is this the fourth test this week? School is exhausting…”
Mark smirked. “Don’t be so dramatic. It’s just studying. You always stress out before tests, but in the end, it all works out fine.”
“Yeah, yeah, whatever,” Charlie muttered, his eyes scanning the parking lot. His expression darkened as he frowned.
“My mom’s late again! How much longer do I have to wait?”
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“Maybe something came up. Don’t be mad at her—she’s picking you up. You should be grateful,” Mark said with a shrug.
Charlie shot him a sideways glare.
“Yeah? I don’t see your mom’s car either. Are you super grateful that she’s late too?”
Mark chuckled softly and shook his head. “She won’t be picking me up anymore. My parents bought me a car for my birthday.”
Charlie stopped in his tracks, his jaw dropping.
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“What!? A car!? I’d be grateful too if someone got me a car!” he snapped, his voice laced with jealousy.
Mark shrugged again, calm as ever. “You should be grateful no matter what. She’s your mom. Anyway, see you tomorrow.”
“Yeah… bye,” Charlie mumbled, watching Mark stroll off toward the student lot.
As he stood there, stewing in frustration, a car horn blared from across the lot. Charlie spun around and saw his mom’s familiar car pulling up.
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With a sigh, he slung his backpack higher on his shoulder and jogged toward it, muttering under his breath. He opened the car door and slid into the passenger seat, his face already setting in a frown.
Alice, his mom, glanced over at him, her hands gripping the steering wheel.
“Sorry, sweetheart, I’m late again. I had to finish up a few things,” she said apologetically.
“You’re always late these days…” Charlie muttered, avoiding her gaze as he slumped further into his seat.
Alice sighed, keeping her voice calm.
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“I said I’m sorry. Now, tell me—how was your day?”
“Not great,” he replied shortly, his eyes fixed on the cars passing outside.
She glanced at him again, concern flickering across her face. “What happened?”
“Mark’s parents bought him a car for his birthday,” Charlie said flatly.
Alice smiled slightly, trying to lighten the mood.
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“That’s wonderful! Did he give you a ride?”
Charlie turned to her, his expression incredulous.
“No. Mom, my birthday’s coming up soon. Can you get me a car?”
Alice’s hands tightened briefly on the wheel before she answered. “Sweetheart, I already have your gift planned. Maybe I can get you a car in a few years…”
“A few years!?” Charlie’s voice rose with frustration.
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“So I have to wait while all my classmates drive around, and I look like an idiot?”
Alice exhaled and tried to keep her tone gentle as she said, “I know it’s hard, but I just can’t afford a gift like that right now.”
Charlie crossed his arms, his voice sharp. “Then return whatever gift you got and buy me a car!”
“I can’t do that, Charlie. I’m sorry,” she said firmly, though her voice was tinged with sadness.
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He turned away, pressing his forehead against the window.
The hum of the engine filled the silence as Alice drove, glancing occasionally at her son, his disappointment weighing heavily on them both.
As she pulled into the driveway, the car came to a slow stop. She turned to Charlie, her face softening.
“Dinner’s in the fridge if you’re hungry. I have a few errands to run, but I won’t be long. Love you, sweetheart!”
“Yeah…” Charlie mumbled without meeting her eyes. He swung the car door open and headed into the house.
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The door clicked shut behind him, and the silence of the empty house wrapped around him.
He dropped his backpack by the couch but didn’t bother to sit down. Something gnawed at the back of his mind—an itch he couldn’t ignore.
His mom had seemed calm, too calm, especially after their earlier argument. Why couldn’t she just tell him what she was up to?
His curiosity got the better of him. Quietly, he tiptoed into her bedroom, the air feeling heavier as if he were crossing an invisible line.
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Sitting at her desk, he opened her laptop.
The screen glowed to life, and he hesitated for a moment before clicking on her email.
Most of it was unimportant—work notices, receipts, newsletters.
Then he spotted something unusual: an email confirming a delivery scheduled for his upcoming birthday.
His brow furrowed as he clicked it open.
His eyes widened. The delivery wasn’t a one-time thing. There were 14 more planned—one every year for the next 15 years.
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“What the…?” he muttered, his heart racing.
Confused and uneasy, he dug deeper, scrolling through her emails until he found an address for a storage unit.
Beneath a pile of papers in her drawer, he found a small key labeled with the same address.
His pulse quickened as he grabbed the key and headed out the door.
The storage unit loomed ahead, its metal door glinting faintly under the dull light of the parking lot.
Charlie unlocked it with trembling hands. As the door creaked open, he froze.
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Inside, more than a dozen neatly wrapped gifts were arranged in a row.
They were all different sizes, some small enough to fit in his palm, others big enough to hold a bike.
Each was topped with a handwritten note in his mom’s familiar, looping script.
He stepped inside, the scent of cardboard and faint perfume hanging in the air. He picked up one note and read:
“Happy 17th birthday, sweetheart. I love you more than anything in the world. I hope you like this computer. Study hard!”
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His throat tightened as he set the note back. Why had she done this?
He moved to the first gift, a small box with two notes attached. Pulling off the first, his breath caught as he began to read:
“My dear son, if you’re reading this, I may no longer be with you. For years, I’ve known I had cancer, and no treatment has worked. My time is limited, but I didn’t want your birthdays to feel empty after I’m gone.”
The words blurred as tears filled his eyes. He wiped his face, but the tears kept coming, spilling onto the paper.
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“That’s why I prepared these gifts ahead of time. They may not always be exactly what you want, but please open one each birthday and know I love you. Always.”
Charlie let out a shaky breath as he clutched the note. His chest ached in a way he’d never felt before.
He looked around the storage unit, the gifts that suddenly felt so much more than just objects.
They were pieces of her love, her effort to stay with him even when she couldn’t.
He gently placed the note back, closed the door, and leaned against it for a moment.
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His heart was heavy, but it was full of something else too—a deeper understanding of what his mom had done for him.
The drive home was quiet. The world outside blurred, but his mind raced with emotions. He didn’t care about a car anymore.
What mattered now was something far greater.
Charlie stepped quietly into the living room, his shoes scuffing softly against the wooden floor.
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His mom, Alice, was perched on the couch, a book resting in her lap.
She was smiling faintly, her eyes scanning the pages, completely unaware of the emotional storm that had just swept over her son.
Charlie hesitated in the doorway, his chest rising and falling with uneven breaths. His eyes were red, swollen from crying, and his face held a mix of fear and heartbreak.
Alice looked up, her smile fading as she took in his expression. Alarm spread across her face.
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“Charlie! What’s wrong? Where were you?” she asked, setting the book aside and leaning forward.
“Mom!” he choked out, his voice breaking as he rushed across the room. He threw his arms around her, clinging to her tightly.
“Sweetheart, tell me what’s going on,” she said, her voice soft but urgent. She stroked his back gently, trying to calm him. “How can I help?”
Charlie pulled back slightly, his hands trembling as he wiped at his face.
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“I know, Mom. I went to the storage unit,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.
Alice stiffened, her eyes widening.
“What? Why? What were you doing there?” she asked, a hint of panic creeping into her tone.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” Charlie cried, his voice breaking again.
“Isn’t there anything we can do?”
Alice took a deep breath, her lips quivering.
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“There’s nothing, Charlie. I’m so sorry,” she said, tears brimming in her eyes.
“No, Mom, I’m sorry,” he said quickly, shaking his head.
“I’ve been such a terrible son. I don’t need a car or any gifts. None of that matters. I just want you to be with me.”
“Charlie…” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.
“Please, Mom,” he begged, his voice desperate.
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“I want to spend as much time with you as I can. I love you!”
Alice pulled him close again, her own tears spilling over now.
“I love you too, sweetheart,” she said, her voice breaking as she held him tightly.
The room was quiet except for their soft cries, their embrace a fragile but powerful moment of love and understanding.
Tell us what you think about this story, and share it with your friends. It might inspire them and brighten their day.
If you enjoyed this story, read this one: Every man reaches a moment when he wants to settle down and have a loving family. But not Henry—he was convinced he would stay single forever, believing it was the better life for him. However, a day spent with his nine-year-old niece makes him realize the true reason behind his life choices.
This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life.
A Husband and Son Humiliate Mom, Treating Her Like a Servant – They Later Beg for Forgiveness on Their Knees
Prepare yourself for a tale of how one man took patriarchy to heart, turning our once-happy marriage into a blizzard of demands and orders. When our son started mimicking him, I knew I had to do something drastic! My story will have you shocked and angry at times, but the ending is worth it! Read on!
An upset and exhausted woman holding a cleaning rag | Source: Pexels
Hi everyone, my name is Samantha and I have a story to tell that I hope will inspire other married and non-married women. See, I work as a steamfitter and have been in a supervision role for a while, which allows me incentives and bonuses.
Besides all those extra benefits, I was earning more than $100 an hour! However, to earn that much meant I also had to work out of town, but it’s something I only started doing when our boy, Terry, was old enough to care for himself under my husband’s supervision.
A happy boy embracing his father | Source: Pixabay
Me earning so much meant our retirement savings were racking up, and we’ve been able to splurge on ourselves and the kids. I thought everything was fine between my husband and me, and he never made any special demands from me.
However, a few years ago, things started changing with Ben. I generally think it has something to do with the influence he’s been getting at work. See, my husband works with a team of sexist men who consider women as service personnel.
An unhappy man standing to the side while a woman happily works on a laptop | Source: Freepik
Their influence on Ben became visible in our fifth year of marriage when he started mocking me for not doing enough housework! He’d shifted his gaze upon me not as his partner but as his servant, even though I work too and earn MORE than him!
Our marriage, once a symphony of shared dreams and mutual respect, devolved into a series of expectations and dismissals. “It was as if overnight, he donned the cloak of patriarchy, echoing the archaic sentiments of his colleagues,” I mused, shocked by how things could change so quickly.
A messy kitchen left as is | Source: Flickr
What was even worse for me was that he liked throwing things around, leaving chaos in the kitchen before just lying down on the couch! However, what irritated me the most was that our son started COPYING him!
Knowing how hectic my work schedule was and wanting to find some peace at home, I told my husband to hire a cleaner, but he shocked me when he said, “NO! THAT’S YOUR JOB!”
I was fuming and frustrated by this new behavior and told him that in that case, I wouldn’t pay for anything because it was his job!
An overwhelmed and upset woman looking at a messy room | Source: Pexels
Last Saturday, I was at home with Terry and after having dinner, he got up without cleaning up after himself. My son, a mirror image of his father’s burgeoning disdain, challenged me. His words, sharp as knives, cut through the silence, “Clean this up and wash it.”
It was not just the mess he expected me to clean but the remnants of my dignity. I EXPLODED and with a voice that trembled with rage, I countered:
“Young man, believe me, you will apologize and clean up after yourself!” His retort was a cold, calculated echo of his father’s teachings, “No, it’s your responsibility.” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing!!!
A mother scolding her disobedient son | Source: Freepik
In anger, I replied, “I won’t lift a finger until you apologize!”
It was then, amid the chaos of unmet expectations, that Terry uttered the words that would become the catalyst for my departure, “Fine, Dad said that if you don’t do it, we will find another agreeable woman and will live with her!”
His last statement was the straw that broke the camel’s back! That night, as the moon bore witness, I made a choice that would alter the course of our lives forever!
An upset mother sitting away from a defiant boy | Source: Freepik
Tired of arguing with a child who was merely mimicking his father, I took a deep breath and calmly put everything away. I then packed my things and went to see my friend. She and I have long dreamed of going somewhere on vacation, and there couldn’t have been a better moment!
Venting to Natalie, I said, “Well, they decided that they’d find another woman to fill my shoes; let them go look.”
“You’re an inspiration, my friend. I wouldn’t be as brave as you are, but I support you all the way,” she replied.
Two women taking a walk and bonding | Source: Pixabay
For a whole week, I refused to answer any of Ben’s calls as I and Natalie enjoyed our well-deserved vacation time. My absence, a mirror reflecting their own follies back at them. My mother sometimes said that she communicated with him, and everything was fine, except for the fact that he cried asking for me and said he missed me.
Two weeks later, I returned from my self-imposed exile but went to my mother’s place as I was still not ready to go home. I’m assuming my mother informed Ben of my return because the following day, he and Terry arrived at our doorstep.
A couple looking at each other with balloons in the background | Source: Freepik
The pair pitched with gifts and balloons, and both of them were on their knees at the door asking for forgiveness! Hmmm, I thought with a wry smile playing on my lips, “It’s probably not so easy to find some woman.”
The change in them was palpable, like the calm after a storm…they became like silk, gliding smoothly to accommodate any of my needs, and I literally couldn’t get enough of it! My home, once a battleground, transformed into a sanctuary of respect and shared duties.
A man and a boy happily cleaning together | Source: Flickr
My husband and son, now allies in our shared journey, had learned the value of respect and the irreplaceable nature of my presence in their lives. It seemed to me that not even a speck of dust had time to fall before they were already wiping it away with a ladder in hand!
Apparently, “sometimes people need to be brought down to earth,” I realized. Although our journey was fraught with pain and enlightenment, it served as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit and the transformative power of respect and love.
A woman smiling while a man playfully holds cleaning materials | Source: Freepik
In the end, we found not just forgiveness but a new way forward, a path paved with mutual respect and shared responsibilities. My story, a beacon for those navigating the tempestuous waters of personal upheaval, stands as a testament to the enduring power of self-respect and the unyielding strength of the human heart.
A happy woman relaxing on a couch | Source: Pexels
Samantha’s story showed how resilient women can be when they apply their boundaries. In the following story, this woman takes a harsh step against patriarchy:
Jenna’s tale unfolds—a narrative steeped in the struggle for respect, love, and self-worth. On a weekend that promised nothing out of the ordinary, filled with the usual humdrum of chores and work, a simmering pot of pasta became the unlikely catalyst for a turning point in Jenna and Jimmy’s marriage.
A woman about to taste a dish she prepared | Source: Freepik
Jenna, a nurse by profession, faced constant criticism from her husband, whose playful demeanor often bordered on the hurtful. From comments on her appearance to the quality of her cooking, Jimmy left no stone unturned in expressing his dissatisfaction.
But it was his sarcastic remark about her latest culinary effort that spilled over, leading Jenna to a moment of rebellion, marked by a pot of pasta sauce splattered across the floor. His reaction, focused more on the mess than on Jenna’s feelings, only fueled the fire!
A couple arguing while seated on a couch | Source: Pexels
He attempted to lighten the mood by claiming his reaction was a joke from a TikTok trend but did little to mend the rift, revealing a deeper issue in their relationship—a lack of genuine respect and understanding. Determined to stand up for herself, Jenna embarked on a daring plan of revenge.
Her plan unfolded in stages of silent protest, culminating in a dramatic exposé of Jimmy’s fraudulent activities! This act of defiance was Jenna’s declaration of independence, a bold step towards reclaiming her dignity and self-respect!
A proud woman laying her head on her arms | Source: Pixabay
In the end, her journey is not just about the breakdown of a marriage but about the discovery of self-worth and the courage to demand respect. It’s a reminder that sometimes, the most challenging conflicts can lead us to a place of greater strength and clarity.
As Jenna steps into a future filled with promise, her story is a testament to the power of standing up for oneself and the transformative potential of asserting one’s value in the face of adversity!
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
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