While tidying up the house, Crystal stumbled upon a stash of money beneath her young daughter Daisy’s bed. Overwhelmed by curiosity and concern, she confronted Daisy and discovered a heart-wrenching truth that left her in tears and prompted a desperate call to her ex-husband.
Hello everyone, especially all the single moms who understand the challenges of caring for your own little universe…
Let me introduce you to my world: my precious daughter Daisy. She recently turned eight and is my entire world. She’s the reason I get up every morning.
Last week was particularly chaotic. After seeing Daisy off on the school bus, I rushed home to start my cleaning routine.
After loading the laundry and tidying up the living room, I moved on to Daisy’s room, expecting the usual clutter.
Daisy’s room was its typical scene of delightful chaos. Dolls, coloring books, and tiny shoes were scattered everywhere. I began putting her toys away and started vacuuming.
Just as I was about to start, something caught my eye under her bed. Kneeling down, I reached underneath and felt around. My fingers brushed against a couple of boxes. I initially thought they were old shoeboxes or toy containers.
Curious, I pulled them out, not sure what to expect.
Opening one of the boxes, I was stunned. Inside was a stack of money – fives and twenties, neatly arranged. My hands shook as I counted it.
Several hundred dollars? Where did my little girl get all this money? And what was she planning to do with it?
I sat on her bed, my mind swirling with questions. How could she have so much money? Was she hiding something from me? My heart raced as I prepared to confront her.
After quickly finishing up in Daisy’s room, I placed the boxes on the coffee table in the living room. I needed answers. I couldn’t focus on anything else.
When Daisy came home that afternoon, she was all smiles, talking excitedly about her day. “Mommy, guess what! We shared candies at lunch, and I got a star for my drawing!”
Her joy faded when she saw the boxes of money. Her face paled, and she froze, eyes wide with shock.
“WHERE DID YOU GET THIS MONEY?” I demanded, holding up a five-dollar bill. My voice quivered with fear and anger. My heart pounded louder with each beat.
Tears welled up in Daisy’s eyes as she reached for the money, but I pulled it back. “No, Daisy, not until you tell me what’s going on.”
“Mommy, please,” she whimpered, her voice breaking. “It’s for Daddy.”
“What do you mean, it’s for Daddy?” I gasped. “Why does Daddy need this money?”
Daisy’s sobs filled the room. “Mommy, please! Put it back. Don’t take my money. I need it for Daddy!” she pleaded.
I was dumbfounded. My ex-husband, William, was a successful businessman living abroad. Why would he need money from our daughter?
“Why? Did Daddy tell you why he needs it?” I asked, trying to remain calm. Daisy couldn’t stop crying, so I hugged her and wiped her tears.
Her small body shook in my arms, and I felt a wave of guilt for making her cry.
“Tell me the truth, sweetheart. What’s this about?” I asked. My heart ached, but I needed to understand what was happening.
Daisy looked up at me with big, tear-filled eyes. “Daddy said I need to pay him if I want to see him,” she whispered, her voice trembling.
My heart sank. “He said THAT?” I gasped, covering my mouth in shock.
“Why didn’t you tell me sooner?” I asked, my voice cracking as I held my daughter.
A lump formed in my throat as I tried to hold back tears. William had asked our daughter for money to see her? How could he?
Daisy sniffled, wiping her nose on her sleeve. “I didn’t want you to worry, Mommy,” she said, her voice barely audible.
“Tell me, honey, where did you get this money?” I asked gently, trying to hide my panic.
Before I could fully process it, another fear crept in. Had Daisy stolen this money? I needed to be sure. So I asked if she had stolen the money from someone.
Daisy looked up at me with glistening eyes. “No, Mommy! I didn’t steal. I saved my Christmas money, birthday money, and lunch money. I even sold some of my Barbie dolls and toys,” she explained, sniffling.
My eyes widened in disbelief. “You did all that TO SEE DADDY??”
She nodded, tears streaming down her cheeks. “I just want to see him, Mommy. I miss him so much.”
Anger and sadness filled my eyes. “My poor baby, you shouldn’t have to do this to see your father,” I said, embracing my daughter, my voice trembling. “It’s not right.”
Grabbing my phone, I went to the balcony to call William. He had a lot to explain.
William answered after two rings, sounding surprised. “Crystal? Is everything okay?”
I didn’t waste time. “Did you tell Daisy she needs to pay you to see her?” I demanded.
There was a brief silence before he said, “What? I don’t understand what you’re talking about.”
“Don’t play innocent, William! How could you ask our daughter for money?” I barked.
“Whoa, whoa! Now I understand,” he sighed. “Months ago, Daisy asked why I never visit. I told her I’m super busy with work, trying to make money.”
My head spun. “Oh, God, William. What else did you say to her?”
“She joked about paying me to visit, and I said, ‘Sure, sweetie, you need to pay Daddy for his time.’ It was a joke, Crystal. I forgot about it. Why?” he said casually.
My blood boiled. “William, you IDIOT! Do you know what you did? Daisy took it seriously and has been saving money just to see you!” I exploded.
“Oh my God! Really?” he asked, sounding genuinely concerned.
“You’ve broken our daughter’s heart,” I spat out, barely holding back my tears.
There was a long pause. “I had no idea she took it seriously,” he said softly. “I would never intentionally hurt her. You know that, right?”
“I don’t know what to think anymore,” I replied, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me.
I explained about the money under Daisy’s bed. “She’s been saving every penny, selling her toys, just to see you,” I said, tears streaming down my face.
William stuttered, clearly shaken. “I… I didn’t know,” he stammered. “I never meant to hurt her.”
I couldn’t stop yelling. “Do you realize what you’ve done to her? She’s been carrying this burden all alone!”
“You need to fix this,” I said firmly. “You need to talk to her and make this right.”
There was silence on the other end. Then he said, “Please, give the phone to our daughter. I need to talk to her.”
Wiping my tears, I approached Daisy. She was hugging her teddy bear, looking so sad. “Sweetie, Daddy wants to talk to you,” I said, handing her the phone.
She took the phone with trembling hands, her eyes wide with hope and fear. “Daddy?” she whispered.
I walked out, bracing myself for whatever William would say next. I could only hope he would make things right.
Moments later, Daisy came running, throwing herself into my arms. She was crying, but with joy. “Mommy, Daddy promised to see me next weekend! He’s coming! He’s going to buy me my favorite dolls and candies!”
I couldn’t believe it. I called William to confirm, and he did. He was leaving his work and flying thousands of miles just to make Daisy happy.
“Are you sure?” I asked, still in disbelief.
“Yes, Crystal. I’m coming. I promise,” he said, his voice filled with sincerity.
I hung up, feeling a surge of relief and gratitude. “Daisy, Daddy’s coming to see you. You don’t need to worry anymore,” I said, turning to my daughter.
She looked up at me with wide eyes. “Yayyy! I’m so happy, Mommy!” she chirped, and my heart melted.
That night, as I tucked Daisy into bed, I said, “Sweetie, there’s something you need to know… you can’t buy time with money. We’ll save this money for your birthday, okay?”
She nodded, a little upset but understanding as I put the money in her piggy bank. “Daddy doesn’t want the money,” I said with a smile. “He wants you to keep it and save up for something special!” Daisy’s smile mirrored mine as she clutched the piggy bank tighter.
With my daughter brimming with excitement to see her father soon, I was relieved it ended well. Looking back, maybe yelling at William wasn’t the best approach, but honestly, put yourself in my shoes! How would you have reacted?