Mrs. Linda Gardner had been a teacher all her life. She loved teaching and took great pride in explaining complex subjects to children. She shared in their joy whenever they grasped something new or solved a difficult problem. Students came to her with academic struggles, and eventually, they began seeking her advice for their personal troubles as well.
Linda was a kind and gentle woman, qualities that the children deeply appreciated. She had two daughters of her own—Megan and Chloe—who grew up surrounded by love and care. Life became harder after Linda's husband passed away, but she somehow managed to provide for everyone.
Her husband had been a man of comfortable means, and he had saved enough to buy a separate apartment for the girls. The plan was eventually to trade it for two smaller studios, but for the time being, they rented it out to help cover future costs. They got by; they weren't living in luxury, but there was always food on the table.
As time went on, the girls grew up and went off to college, and Linda realized she was approaching retirement age. Overall, her life was good—until both daughters suddenly announced they were getting married.
Linda had somehow missed the stage of meeting their boyfriends. She hadn't even been aware that Chloe and Megan were seeing anyone. This saddened her, but she told herself that the girls were living in the big city now, where life moved at a different pace. The introductions happened over the phone when a jubilant Megan called her.
"Mom! You won't believe it!" the girl chirped. "I just got proposed to! And I said yes!"
"Oh my..." was all Linda could manage. "Honey, congratulations! That's wonderful news... but who is he? You never even mentioned you were dating someone."
"Oh, Mom, I've just been so busy, you know how it is. I finally landed a job in my field. Everything is finally coming together! And my fiancé is such a sweet, handsome guy." Megan giggled; evidently, the sweet and handsome guy was standing right there. "His name is Paul, and he works at the same firm I just joined. We had a whirlwind romance, and I guess I just forgot to tell you about him."
"Well, that's youth for you," Linda smiled. "Can I at least meet him before the wedding?"
"Of course you can!" Megan laughed. "You know how to use FaceTime, right?"
Linda did, though she had envisioned something more personal. But perhaps this was just how young people did things now? She had spent her life finding a common language with children, so why be surprised by new trends? She turned on her camera and looked at the screen with interest. Standing next to her daughter was a young man who was neither the most handsome nor the least—just an ordinary guy. He was smiling and had his arm around Megan's shoulders.
"Hello, Mrs. Gardner! I'm Paul, the man your daughter just made the happiest person on the planet!" he announced joyfully.
"Well, even if our introduction is a bit unconventional, I'm happy for you both!" Linda smiled. "I wish you every happiness."
"Thank you!" Megan and Paul replied in unison.
A few months later, Chloe stunned her mother with the exact same news about her own marriage. Again, completely out of the blue. But what was there to be done?
Linda congratulated her daughters and began helping them prepare for their weddings. Naturally, the gift had to be significant. It was unlikely their fiancés had managed to secure their own housing by their late twenties. Linda knew it was time to sell the apartment her husband had bought. She hadn't wasted any time; the place had been rented out for years, and a decent amount of savings had accumulated. Linda decided to consult a realtor.
Choosing a quiet day, she drank her morning coffee, got dressed, and went out to buy a newspaper with classified ads. She liked this old-fashioned, romantic way of finding a professional. She worried younger people might try to take advantage of her, whereas those who advertised in print were likely to be more experienced.
Linda bought the paper and returned home, picking up some fresh pastries on the way. She settled into her favorite armchair and began scanning the ads. Some were too aggressive, promising to sell any property in any condition for top dollar; others seemed indecisive, mentioning multiple consultations. Finally, Linda found a candidate who seemed right. She dialed the number at the bottom of the ad.
"Hello! This is Alexander. How can I help you today?" a cheerful, brisk voice answered.
"Hello. My name is Linda, and I'd like to consult with you about an apartment."
"Oh, you've come to the right place, Linda. Would you prefer a face-to-face meeting, or should we discuss the details over the phone?"
Linda was pleased with her choice. He seemed professional and straight to the point.
"I think a personal meeting would be best," she replied.
"I like your approach!" Alexander chuckled. "Well then, let's set a time and place. By the way, the initial consultation and site visit are completely free."
Linda was pleasantly surprised by this bonus. She gave him the address of the apartment and suggested they meet the following day. Alexander agreed. The apartment had been empty for a couple of weeks since the last tenants had moved out, so there would be no issues with the viewing.
Alexander turned out to be a man of pleasant, well-groomed appearance, dressed modestly but with taste. He gave the impression of a very responsible and honest person.
"Hello, Linda! It's a pleasure to meet you in person," Alexander smiled.
"Hello. A pleasure to meet you too, Alexander," she replied. "Shall we go inside?"
"Yes, let's. So, what's the goal here? Are you looking to sell, rent, or trade?" he asked as Linda unlocked the door.
"That's exactly what I'm debating," she sighed. "You see, I have two daughters, and they both decided to get married quite unexpectedly. My late husband bought this place specifically for them. We planned to trade it for two smaller apartments so they could live independently. We've been renting it out, so there's some extra cash for a down payment. But I'm not sure if it's realistic to trade one apartment for two in today's market..."
"I see... Well, first of all, congratulations. Two weddings at once is wonderful," Alexander smiled. "But to be perfectly honest, you're right. Trading one for two is difficult. Usually, people trade for a smaller space with a cash adjustment. Trading one for two directly... I don't know, I'll have to think. May I look around?"
"Yes, of course," Linda said, gesturing for him to enter.
Alexander walked through the rooms, checked the plumbing and wiring, and made notes in his ledger. Then he took out his phone and typed diligently for a few minutes. After receiving a reply, he put the device away and turned to Linda.
"Well, Linda, I have a few suggestions. Unfortunately, a direct trade for two apartments won't work. At least, we don't have such clients in our database, and we have the most extensive database in the city. It would be better to sell it. We already have potential buyers we can show the place to. How urgent is the sale?"
"Oh... I honestly didn't think it would happen so fast," she admitted, slightly flustered. "Well, the girls decided to have their weddings on the same day, and that's six months away."
"Six months isn't that long," Alexander said, shaking his head. "Some properties can sit on the market for years. Fortunately, that won't be the case here. The apartment is in great shape; a deep clean and it's ready for the market. By the way, our partner agency handles cleaning services. I can give you their card, and since you're working with me, they'll give you a great discount."
Linda's head was spinning from the amount of information Alexander was pouring out. She could only wonder how people managed to live in such a fast-paced, modern world.
"Alright, alright... Yes, let's sell it. And I'll use your, um, cleaning services..." she said hesitantly.
"Excellent!" Alexander beamed and clapped his hands. "Then let's get started. You can leave a spare set of keys with me after we sign the contract, so you won't have to be present for every showing. But that's entirely up to you."
"I have plenty of free time," Linda smiled. "I'm nearly retired. So I think I can be here for the viewings."
"Even better," Alexander nodded. "You know, God forbid some dishonest person tries to walk off with a spoon that turns out to be a family heirloom. I had a case like that when I was starting out—it took forever to find. Turned out a client's kid took it to play with and forgot to return it. Can you imagine?"
"I certainly can," Linda chuckled.
She felt at peace. They agreed on a listing price; the realtor suggested setting it a bit higher to allow for negotiations. Linda was once again grateful for her assistant's efficiency and left the matter in his hands.
***
Several months passed. The apartment had appealed to several buyers, and they were ready to close the deal. However, there was bad news. Linda had been forced to transition to online teaching, which was her worst nightmare. She didn't like working with computers; something was always going wrong. Even though she was relatively tech-savvy enough to use social media, dealing with video lesson platforms and digital presentations was beyond her. For employees like her, management had only one suggestion: retirement.
The teacher wasn't too upset by the news. she had planned to retire in the near future anyway. It was a shame she wouldn't finish with her graduating class, but the kids were smart; they'd manage. Besides, they knew they could always reach out to her if they needed a concept explained.
So, the teacher said her goodbyes to her students and entered her well-earned retirement. Meanwhile, the apartment sold, the paperwork was finalized, and the money was safely deposited into Linda's account. Everything was going perfectly.
"Well, Linda! Congratulations on a job well done!" Alexander smiled and shook the retiree's hand. "That was an excellent deal."
"Yes, you did a wonderful job," Linda smiled. "Now, can we proceed to the second part of the plan?"
"Second part of the plan?" Alexander asked, looking genuinely confused.
"Well—the purchase of two apartments for my daughters..." Linda said, her voice faltering.
"Ah, you want me to handle that too?" Alexander smirked. "There seems to have been a slight misunderstanding. I thought you already had something in mind. Well, no matter. We'll check our listings and find something."
"Please, don't scare an old woman like that," Linda exhaled.
"Old? You're far from it!" Alexander laughed. "Anyway, don't worry. Everything is under control."
However, there was no call from Alexander for a couple of days. Linda told herself that finding two specific properties was harder than selling one, so she didn't worry too much.
But finally, almost a week later, Alexander called. His voice was no longer cheerful.
"Linda, I'm afraid I don't have the best news for you," he began immediately.
"What is it?.." Linda sat down, her heart racing.
"You see, we can find apartments... but the larger ones are completely 'trashed,' and I doubt your daughters would be interested in tiny one-bedroom studios."
"Oh my God... what do we do now?.." Linda asked, lost.
"The main thing is not to panic," Alexander said confidently. "There are some perfectly decent two-bedroom places. But they cost a bit more than the funds we have."
"But what about the savings from the rent?" Linda asked, pressing a hand to her heart.
"That's including your savings," Alexander repeated. Linda gasped.
That was a significant amount of money.
"What am I going to do... I don't know where else to get the money... and I so wanted to give them this gift..." she stammered.
"Now, Linda, I'm not rushing you. Think it over. Maybe a one-bedroom would work for them?"
"No, no, that won't do at all," Linda replied firmly, rubbing her aching temple.
"Unfortunately, those are our only options," Alexander sighed.
"I see... Well, thank you. I'll think about where to get the money, and if I can't find a way, we'll still have time to buy them at least a one-bedroom each, right?" she asked hopelessly.
"We will," Alexander said with certainty.
"Alright, thank you. I'll call you."
Linda hung up. How had this happened? Everything had been going so smoothly—not a single hitch! And now this.
It turned out Alexander hadn't understood that he was supposed to buy the new properties as well, so he hadn't calculated the budget correctly or checked the options beforehand. Oh, how could she, a teacher who spent her life explaining things, have missed that detail? Linda's mood plummeted. Giving them one-bedroom apartments for their wedding—she'd be the laughingstock. They'd say she couldn't provide for her daughters. And what would newlyweds do in a one-bedroom? What about kids? What about guests? They couldn't just sit across from each other reading books! Young people needed space, and now it turned out there was no money for it. However, Linda had one idea. The things a mother does for her children! But she had to talk to them first. She had wanted it to be a surprise, but that was no longer an option.
She called her daughters and asked them to come over for an important talk. Of course, the girls were busy and agreed to come only with great reluctance. Linda didn't like their attitude, but she tried to be understanding. A wedding is a stressful time.
"Mom, it's the twenty-first century. I hope this 'important talk' was worth missing my dress fitting," Chloe grumbled the moment she walked in.
"What's wrong with your dress?" Linda asked.
"I'm still trying to pick one."
"But you've been doing that for two weeks..."
"And I haven't found a single thing that works!" the girl sighed. "And I can't take Mike with me; you know it's bad luck for the groom to see the dress."
"Right," Linda chuckled. "Since when did you become superstitious?"
"You would be too if you were in my shoes... Look, Mom, I'm sorry, but I'm just so exhausted from this wedding. I don't even know if I'm happy or not anymore," Chloe admitted.
"Exactly!" Megan chimed in. "Nothing but stress. At first, it's great, you're on cloud nine, and then all the messy details start coming out—ugh!"
"Girls, that's no reason to be so gloomy," their mother smiled. "Especially since I have better news than the 'messy details' of a ceremony."
"What is it?" Megan asked.
"I want to discuss my gift to you," Linda sighed. "I wanted it to be a surprise, but things didn't go quite as planned. I'm sorry, girls."
"Mom, don't worry about it..." Megan patted her mother's shoulder. "It's fine. Actually, we already discussed gifts with Paul's parents. And we even picked one out. They're giving us a car, can you believe it?"
"Oh! That's wonderful!" Linda said, genuinely happy for her.
"Yeah, and we're getting a honeymoon in Hawaii," Chloe bragged. "Mike already has a car."
"Girls, that's beautiful," Linda smiled.
"Yeah, too bad no one thought to shell out for a place to live," Chloe muttered.
"Well, that's where you're wrong," Linda smirked. "That's what I wanted to talk about. You don't have your own places yet, right? Well, remember the apartment your father left you? I sold it."
"You did what?!" Megan's eyes widened.
"So I could buy you both your own apartments," Linda shrugged.
"What?!" the girls asked in unison.
"Yes, but things went a bit sideways..." Oh, how proud Linda would have felt if she had double-checked everything!
But she had made a mistake. And now she had to explain the whole story to her daughters.
"Oh no... that's such a shame," Megan said, clicking her tongue after listening to her mother.
"Yeah... how did that happen?.." Chloe echoed mournfully.
"Well, girls, it's too early to give up. I was thinking... you're young, you should live in the city. But I could move to the countryside. Houses aren't that expensive there. I think if I sell my own house, it will be enough to cover your apartments, and I'll have enough left for a small cottage."
"Mom, that would be amazing!" Megan said dreamily.
"But are you sure? Moving is a lot of work, and at your age..." Chloe added hesitantly.
"My age is exactly the right time for a garden," Linda smiled. "I'll rest, enjoy nature, grow my own vegetables... I've always wanted to move to a quiet village in my later years anyway."
"Well, if you're sure, we'll definitely help you move and with anything else you need," Chloe said, hugging her mother. "I love you so much..."
"I love you too, Mommy," Megan hugged her from the other side.
It was decided. Linda reached out to Alexander again, asking him to sell her house to provide the missing funds for the girls' apartments. She also needed a specific amount left over for her own new home.
"Got it, Linda! Understood!" the realtor replied with his usual energy. "You'll have two weeks to move out after the sale. Is that enough time?"
"Yes, I can do that," she replied confidently.
"Unfortunately, I can't help you find a house in the country; I only work within the city," Alexander warned.
"I'll find the house myself and let you know how much I need," Linda decided to be more proactive this time.
"Clear. Well, good luck! I'm off to find a buyer," Alexander said and hung up.
Linda approached her dreaded laptop. Well, she could manage a basic internet search. After a couple of days, she found a house in a village about ninety miles from the city. It was old but sturdy. The outdoor plumbing was a bit concerning for winter, but what wouldn't she do for her beloved daughters? Linda made up her mind. She called Alexander and told him the exact amount that needed to remain after the apartments were purchased. The realtor said he could easily work within that limit. They timed the sale of the house for a week and a half before the wedding to ensure they could buy the gifts and not rush the move too much.
Linda had already packed her essentials and was just waiting for the remaining money to buy her house. But, of course, everything went wrong. On the day of the wedding, the limo rental fell through. And the girls desperately wanted a limo.
"Mom, the car isn't coming! How are we going to get there?" Chloe was nearly in tears.
"We'll have to walk or take the bus. In our wedding dresses!" Megan was only keeping from crying to save her expensive makeup.
"Mom, please help! Don't you have the money left over from the sale?" Chloe asked hopefully.
"Honey, I'd love to, but that's the money for my house and the move," Linda said, surprised.
"We'll help you move! We'll drive everything ourselves! Besides, we'll get cash gifts at the wedding—not everyone is going to bring a toaster," Megan pleaded. "And we can't find a new limo this late! The wedding is ruined!"
"Oh, alright," Linda sighed.
The girls' joyful shrieks nearly deafened the poor woman.
***
The wedding was wonderful, aside from the limo mishap. The guests were happy, the newlyweds were glowing, and Linda was glad for her girls. Immediately after the celebration, Chloe and Mike left for their honeymoon in Hawaii; their flight was the very next day. Linda called Megan the following morning to ask about the house. She had to move out of her current place in three days.
"Mom... it's only my first day being married... You still have time before you have to leave. We're so tired after the wedding, we haven't even opened our gifts yet," her daughter replied sleepily. "Let's deal with this tomorrow or the day after, okay?"
"Alright, but no later! Megan, this isn't a joke. You're going to leave your mother on the street," Linda said, worried.
"Mom, don't be silly! Anyway, talk to you tomorrow," Megan muttered crossly.
But the next day was silent. It was only a day later that Megan finally called her mother, by which time Linda was genuinely panicking. The buyers had already called to ask if the former owner had moved out yet.
"Megan, finally!" Linda exhaled.
"Mom... God, I don't even know how to tell you this..." Megan sighed. Her voice was sad and anxious.
"What?" Linda felt her heart sink.
"Well, the cash gifts... from both mine and Chloe's weddings... anyway, it's only about half of what you need."
"What?.." Linda stopped breathing for a moment. "How can it be only half? I can't buy anything with that! And I have to move out tomorrow!"
"Mom, don't worry. We'll find a solution... worst case, we'll get you a hotel room for a while..."
"Are you serious? And then what? Will money just appear out of nowhere? No, Megan, I don't need a hotel," Linda's head was pounding as she frantically tried to think of a plan. "Look, I have to leave tomorrow anyway... I'll just have to stay with one of you until I can save up enough from my pension for a house."
"Um, Mom... where would you stay?.." Linda thought she had misheard.
"What do you mean, where? I bought you those apartments!"
"Well, you saw how tiny they are. Half your stuff won't even fit, and we still have to move Paul's things in."
"Are you honestly suggesting I live on the street? That I become homeless? Your own mother?" Tears immediately sprang to her eyes.
This was not the gratitude Linda had expected.
"Mom, of course not... it's just that you'd be uncomfortable here. Like you said, we're young, we need our own space. And we're already planning on having a baby..." Megan tried to make excuses.
"I see," Linda said coldly. "Thank you, dear." She hung up. Such a wave of resentment and anger washed over her that she simply wailed from the overwhelming emotion. How could her own children treat her like this?
After crying for a couple of hours and feeling completely drained, Linda caught her breath and drank some green tea. Then she tried to call Chloe. But Chloe didn't even pick up. Linda left her a message, hoping she would check her phone. Then she went to bed. Her last night in her home.
The next morning, there was still no answer from Chloe. And the buyers were already demanding Linda move out. They were perfectly within their rights. They weren't obligated to care about her situation or let her live in their house for another year. There was nothing left to do. Linda, still crying, packed her essentials into her old SUV and drove to the edge of town. This was her home now. An old station wagon was hardly a suitable dwelling for a sixty-year-old woman, but what other choice did she have? Linda lived like that for two weeks. She never heard back from Chloe. Her phone died, and she didn't know where to find a place to charge it. She spent all her pension money on gas and meager food.
Every day, she thought she couldn't go on, but every morning she still woke up.
One day, she fell ill and went to a pharmacy. It was a cold autumn, and Linda, a respected teacher, was living in a car and only turning on the heater when absolutely necessary.
"Hello," she said hoarsely, leaning toward the pharmacy window. "I need something for a fever and a cough. I think I've caught a cold. Something inexpensive, please."
"Mrs. Gardner?" a young female pharmacist asked in surprise.
Linda looked at her, squinting.
"Diana? Little Diana from my sophomore class!" Linda laughed. "Oh my, look at you! Have you finished pharmacy school already?"
"No, not yet," Diana smiled. "I'm in my senior year. But I can work part-time now."
"That's wonderful! Your parents must be so proud of you." Remembering her own daughters, who had so easily cast her aside, Linda could barely hold back her tears.
"Oh, Mrs. Gardner, what's wrong? You look so upset," Diana said, concerned.
"Well, there's plenty to worry about," Linda muttered.
She briefly told her former student her story. Things couldn't get any worse anyway.
"You're living in your old car?" Diana was horrified. "My God, how can that be?"
"That's just how it is. They have their own lives; mine doesn't concern them anymore," the woman said with a sad smile.
"And that realtor sounds like he totally took advantage of you!" the girl exclaimed.
"I realize that now. He played me for a fool with all those 'services'..." Linda said even more sadly.
"This is not okay," Diana said firmly. "Look, come into the back room and lie down. I'll bring you the medicine you need. You can rest here. I have lunch in the fridge—my mom always packs way more than I can eat, so please, help yourself. I'm going to make a call."
"Diana, I can't... what if someone sees?"
"So what? My dad owns this pharmacy chain," the girl shrugged. "Come on in."
"Thank you..." Tears filled Linda's eyes.
Linda followed Diana and lay down on a soft cot. The girl quickly gave her some medicine, then brought her hot tea and cookies. Linda accepted it all gratefully. She felt warm and safe. She didn't even notice herself drifting off to sleep. Sleeping in the warmth on something soft was so much more comfortable.
"Mrs. Gardner..." a quiet voice nudged her awake. "Mrs. Gardner..."
"Huh? What?" Linda opened her eyes.
"It's evening; my shift is over," Diana smiled.
Linda quickly sat up and rubbed her eyes.
"Oh, thank you, Diana. I slept so well!"
"Well, you can't really get good sleep on a cot. You need a real bed," Diana said, squinting.
"I wouldn't argue with that," the teacher chuckled. "But I don't have one."
"Actually, that's where you're wrong," the girl suddenly declared. "Dad! Mrs. Gardner is awake!"
Before Linda could even register the girl's words, a distinguished man in a white coat entered the back room. She recognized him; it was Diana's father, Dr. Miller. He had attended every parent-teacher conference, she remembered.
"Hello, Mrs. Gardner," the man smiled.
"Oh, I'm sorry for being here..." Linda began to apologize, but Dr. Miller just shook his head.
"Diana told me everything. You know, you don't deserve to be in this position. But it's not by chance either. I've been thinking about how to thank you... You turned my rebellious Diana into such a fine young woman!" He looked at his daughter with a smile. "And now, the opportunity has arrived. You see, I wasn't exactly sure where you wanted to buy a house, but I hope this one will suit you."
With those words, Dr. Miller handed Linda a set of keys and a stack of papers, including a deed of sale. Linda stared at it all with wide eyes, unable to believe what was happening. But both the documents and the keys were real.
"I can't..." she started, but Diana's father cut her off.
"Yes, you can. I insist. Otherwise, I'll feel like the most worthless man in the world. Can't I help someone out?"
Linda burst into tears and spent a long time thanking Dr. Miller and Diana. They even helped her move the following day. The house turned out to be much better than the one Linda had planned to buy for herself. It wasn't in a remote village but in a nice suburban neighborhood; consequently, all the modern amenities were inside the house, and there was even a small guesthouse in the back. There was a beautiful garden and a small plot for vegetables.
Linda was grateful for her beautiful home for the rest of her life. It's worth mentioning her daughters as well. When they heard about their mother's new house, they naturally tried to reconcile with her. After all, it would be so nice to hang out in Mom's yard during the summer! To grill steaks, relax in the garden... but this time, Linda was firm.
"You know, girls, you were right. You're young, and I'm old. You'd be uncomfortable with me anyway. You're planning on having kids, and I need my sleep and to wake up early. So you go enjoy your vacations, and please, don't bother me anymore. I've left this house to Diana in my will."
"To what Diana?!" Megan exclaimed.
"The one who was closer to me in my time of need than my own daughters," Linda replied and ended the call.
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