Just Another Day
Bridgette Coleman had a typical day. She dropped her three children off at school every day and picked them up again in the afternoon as a stay-at-home mother.
Nevertheless, on this day, Briana, her eldest daughter, noticed something in the mall parking lot as they were about to leave. Her curiosity led her to investigate.
A Kind Daughter
Briana pointed in the direction she should take the car. She carefully steered it in that direction. “Mom, over there. Can you see him? There's something wrong. "We need to see what we can do," Briana said.
The kind nature of Bridgette's daughter had always been evident to her. In this case, things had reached an entirely new level. As well as impressing her, it scared her as well. The fearlessness of Briana was admirable.
Motherhood
It was Bridgette's favorite thing to spoil her children some days. They were bringing home excellent grades and doing well in school.
In celebration of their successes, Bridgette and her husband, Brian, would sometimes drive across the street to the mall after picking up the children from school.
Spoils
Usually it was a weekly treat, but Bridgette and her children wouldn't soon forget what happened that day. For a long time to come, it would be engraved in their minds.
It wasn't clear to them what was waiting for them outside the parking lot as they ate lunch at the Cheesecake Factory.
Let’s Go
As soon as they finished lunch, Bridgette announced they had to go. “It's time to go. I still have to make dinner," she said.
Getting ready for the parking lot, they gathered their belongings. Bridgette wanted to leave the mall as soon as possible, as it was surprisingly full that afternoon.
Going Back
They reached the escalators as they made their way down to the underground parking. During such a hot day, Bridgette was concerned that the car would be scorched.
Her decision was regretted as she walked back to her car. What the family encountered a few minutes later surprised them.
The Drive
Bridgette's only goal when they reached the car was to get home. “Don't put your feet up on the back of my seat, Brody. I need to drive,” she yelled to her 6-year-old.
Her mood was slightly irritated, but she was glad to be heading home. That's what she thought, at least. Briana told her mother to stop as they were about to leave the parking lot.
Confusion
“Stop! ” Briana shouted, and Bridgette stopped instantly. In the back, shopping bags were flying around so vigorously that she could hear them.
"Oh my gosh, Briana, what is it? You nearly gave me a heart attack," she replied confusedly. She was staring at something with her window all the way down.
Stop!
“Mom, over there. Are you able to see him? Something isn’t right. We have to see what we can do,” Briana said. Suddenly, she unbuckled her seat belt and got out of the car as if in a trance, looking at something in the parking lot.
“Briana! Where are you going? You can’t just get out of the car like that, wait!” Bridgette yelled. However, it was of no use. Running across the parking lot, Briana reached the other side.
Wait Here
The car was promptly parked by Bridgette. “Stay put, I’m going to go find your sister. If any of you leave this car, I’m telling your dad,” she warned her twin sons, Brody and Breydan.
Bridgette followed Briana as they nodded in agreement. Her figure could be seen in the distance, crouched down. There was something wrong.
Nervous
As she approached Briana, she could vaguely see the outline of another person sitting on the ground. Bridgette’s motherly instincts kicked into high gear.
“Briana, what has gotten into you? Get over here this very minute,” she said. She was very nervous at this point because she couldn’t see what Briana was doing and who she was talking to.
It’s Not Safe
As she rounded a concrete pillar, Bridgette could clearly see what was going on. “Briana, who is this boy you’re talking to? Come on, we have to go now. This is not safe,” Bridgette pleaded.
It was then that Briana got up from crouching down. “He’s alone, Mom. He goes to our school. Looks like he’s been sitting here for hours,” Briana said.
A Boy
Bridgette came closer to see a boy sitting on the ground, drenched in tears. He had his school bag with him, but he looked terrified.
“Hey, son. Why are you sitting here? Where’s your mom and dad?” Bridgette asked. But the boy wasn’t budging. Bridgette sighed. She knew it was going to be a long day.
Hopeless
The boy looked about 10 years old, and he was just sitting there looking hopeless. Bridgette and Briana looked at each other. They knew it was now up to them to make a plan to help the boy.
“Hey, you can come sit in our car. We gave aircon and snacks if you’re hungry,” Briana offered. However, the boy just looked up at Briana and started bawling his eyes out again.
Feeling Sorry For Him
Briana couldn’t help but feel very sorry for him. “It’s okay. We’ll get you home somehow. Don’t you worry. We’ll wait here with you until your mom or dad comes to get you, okay?” Briana assured him.
Bridgette looked at her daughter and was so impressed with how calm she was handling the situation. She could have easily just ignored him, but she chose not to.
Getting Late
A few minutes had already passed, and Bridgette decided to bring their car closer to the boy so that she could keep an eye on her two sons as well.
The day had turned into something that none of them had anticipated, and Bridgette called her husband, Brian, to inform him that they would be late. The clock was ticking, and it was getting late. But then something happened.
Evan
The boy looked up at Briana and finally began talking. “My name is Evan, and my mom was supposed to pick me up today, but she never showed up. I decided to come to the parking lot because I didn’t want to be in the sun.
Briana smiled and said, “Hi, Evan. I’m Briana. I’m sorry your mom didn’t pick you up. I’m sure she’s worried sick about you. Should we try to call her?”
Don’t Know Her Number
But Evan just shook his head. “I left my phone at home, and I don’t know her number by heart. I just don’t know what to do,” he said, wiping more tears from his eyes.
Briana got up and spoke to her mom. “He doesn’t have his mother’s number. Is there anything else that we can do to help him? I don’t want to leave him like this,” Briana said.
Another Problem
Bridgette was so impressed with her daughter’s caring nature. She had a plan. She knew exactly what to do in this situation. She pulled out her phone and called the school.
However, there was a problem. The school didn’t want to give out any parent information to anybody. It was understandable but frustrating. She needed to think.
Come With Us
“Briana, we’re going to have to go to the school to get the number. Evan, you have to come with us because the school won’t give your mother’s number to me if you aren’t present,” Bridgette told them.
Briana could see how Evan shrunk down into himself. “It’s okay. You’ll be safe with us. But you have to go with us to school, else we’ll never get the number,” she urged him.
Going To The School
Evan, still sniffling and clearly scared, hesitantly nodded. Bridgette, Briana, and Evan got back into the car. The twin boys in the backseat looked concerned but didn't say a word. As they drove to the school, the tension inside the car was palpable.
Upon reaching the school, Bridgette went inside, leaving Briana and Evan in the car. She had a conversation with the school staff, explaining the situation, and eventually, they agreed to help. Bridgette came back to the car with a piece of paper that had Evan's mother's phone number on it.
Frantic
Bridgette dialed the number while Briana comforted Evan. As the phone rang, the atmosphere inside the car was filled with uncertainty. Finally, a voice answered on the other end. It was Evan's mom, Mrs. Johnson. She sounded frantic, not knowing where her son was.
Bridgette quickly explained the situation and assured Mrs. Johnson that Evan was safe and with them. Mrs. Johnson's voice cracked with relief and gratitude. She promised to rush to the school to pick up her son.
Trust
While they waited for Evan's mom to arrive, Briana and Bridgette tried to comfort the young boy. They talked about school, hobbies, and anything that would make him feel at ease. Evan's tears had subsided, and he began to trust the mother-daughter duo.
When Mrs. Johnson arrived at the school, she couldn't thank Bridgette and Briana enough. She hugged her son tightly and thanked them for looking out for him. Evan, now reunited with his mother, had a bright smile on his face.
A Mix-Up
It turned out that Evan’s parents had been mixed up about who was going to pick him up from school that day. Since the divorce, Evan had been going back and forth from one parent to another, and on that day, no one knew whose turn it was to fetch him from school.
Thankfully, Evan’s mother promised that she would have a talk with his father that night and that the schedule would be sorted out.
Come Hang With Us
But then Briana said something unexpected. “Don’t worry, Mrs. Johnson, even if one of you is late, Evan is always welcome to come hang out with us. On Wednesdays, Mom takes us to the mall for lunch. He is welcome to join us if you let him?”
Bridgette smiled. She was so proud of her daughter.
The Arrangement
Evan smiled, and he looked at his mother, hoping that she would agree to the arrangement. “It’s fine with me. I have your number. I can give you a call once we’re done having lunch, and we will wait with him until you pick him up,” Bridgette replied in agreement.
Mrs. Johnson looked at all the smiling faces around her. She couldn’t say no.
Grateful
“Of course! I know Evan would be happy to hang out with you. Maybe someday I’ll join all of you. I would love to get to know all of you better. I’m so grateful that you stayed with him. You make the world a better place,” Mrs. Johnson replied. She had tears in her eyes.
Bridgette knew what she had to say. “No need to thank me. This was all Briana’s doing. I’m so proud of her.”
Making A Difference
Briana and Bridgette headed back to their car, their hearts filled with a sense of accomplishment. They had made a difference in a young boy's life that day.
It was a stark reminder that kindness and compassion could go a long way in a world filled with uncertainty. Bridgette looked at her daughter in admiration.
Proud
As they finally made their way back home, Briana turned to her mother and said, "Mom, I'm glad we stopped for Evan. It feels good to help someone in need."
Bridgette smiled and replied, "You're absolutely right, Briana. You did a remarkable thing today, and I'm so proud to call you my daughter. I think we should go out tonight to celebrate."
A Lasting Impression
And so, the Coleman family headed home, not just as a mother and her children but as a tight-knit team that had stepped up when they saw someone in need, leaving a lasting impression on a young boy named Evan, who would forever remember the day he met his guardian angels in a parking lot.
Bridgette knew that the events of this day would be etched into her family's memories forever. It was a lesson in humanity and the extraordinary ways in which kindness could change lives, even in the most unexpected places.