Poor widowed mom buys old doll at flea market and hears a crackling when she gives it to her baby “Ah finally babe, mommy bought you a new doll.”

A poor janitor buys an old doll for her daughter at a flea market and hears a rattling sound as she hands it to her. What she discovers makes her cry.

“Oh, this is so lovely. Eve will love it!” exclaims Pauline as she stops in front of a stall where a woman is selling toys.

Pauline was a single mother to her 8-year-old daughter Eve and worked as a janitor. Her husband had died years ago from cancer, and she had been raising Eve alone ever since.

When Pauline saw the doll at the flea market, she knew it would be the best birthday present for Eve. Unfortunately, she didn’t have enough money to buy anything expensive, so looking for something at the flea market was her best option.

When Pauline decided to buy the doll, she was so preoccupied with Eve’s thoughts that she didn’t bother to inspect it. Two days later, when she gave it to Eve for her birthday, she heard a strange crackling sound coming from the doll…

A few days ago…

“Mom,” Eve said sadly. “Can you buy me a doll?”

“Honey,” Pauline replied softly. “You know we’re on a tight budget this month. Mommy will buy you one next month. That’s a promise.”

“But Mommy…” Eve’s voice began to crack. “My birthday is in two days. Did you forget?”

“Oh, no, no, honey! Not at all!” Pauline said, but she had actually forgotten and felt bad about it.

“You’re still not going to buy me a doll? I don’t have any friends, Mommy. Nobody wants to be friends with me because we’re poor. This doll can be my best friend…”

“Oh honey,” Pauline hugged Eve. “I’ll buy you the doll. I promise. Don’t be sad, okay?”

Pauline knew that the kids at Eve’s school didn’t treat her well because she wasn’t as rich as them, but there wasn’t much she could do about it. Kids can be cruel sometimes.

Today…

Pauline was overjoyed after buying the doll. She couldn’t wait to give it to Eve and see her beautiful smile. The doll was one of those vintage dolls, holding a little baby in her arms.

“Oh, Eve will be so happy!” Pauline thought as she walked home.

And Eve was. The little girl’s joy knew no bounds when Pauline showed her the doll for her birthday.

Sometimes, the cause of someone’s smile is the source of another person’s sorrow.

“Ta-da! Mommy bought the doll for Evie!” Pauline exclaimed as she held the doll in her hands. “Can Mommy have a kiss for that?”

“It’s so pretty! Thank you, Mommy!” Eve cooed as she kissed Pauline on the cheek.

As Pauline handed the doll to Eve, she suddenly heard a strange crackling sound.

“What was that?” Pauline wondered.

She shook the doll, holding it close to her ears, and heard the crackling sound again.

“Mommy! Give it to me! I want to hold my doll! Please! Please!” Eve said, excited to play with it.

“One second, honey.” I think there’s something in there…”

That’s when Pauline examined the doll and found a secret pocket sewn into the doll’s outfit. She undid the threads around it, and a note fell out.

Eve quickly picked it up and said, “Mommy, it says, ‘Happy Birthday, Mommy.’ It’s not your birthday! It’s my birthday! That’s so silly!”

When Pauline read the note, she noticed that the message looked like it had been scribbled by a child. At that moment, the thought of the woman selling the doll crossed her mind.

The next day, she returned to the flea market with the doll, and luckily, the woman’s booth was still there.

“Oh, I’m glad I found you here!” Pauline said. “I bought this doll yesterday and I found a message inside…”

When the woman, Miriam, saw the message, her eyes filled with tears. “My daughter bought me this doll,” she said softly. “She passed away two days before my birthday… My husband and I, oh, I’m so sorry…” The woman covered her face as her tears began to fall.

“I’m so sorry for your loss,” Pauline said apologetically. “I had no idea. I know I can’t take away your pain, but if it will help, I can give you a hug.”

“Oh, thank you…” Miriam said. Pauline gave her a warm hug, after which Miriam revealed her sad story, which brought tears to Pauline’s eyes.

“My little girl was diagnosed with cancer,” Miriam said. “We needed money for her chemotherapy.” My husband and I worked in a factory. We didn’t have enough money to cover her hospital bills, so we set up a stall here to sell our old furniture and things we didn’t need.”

“But we couldn’t save our daughter… She left us too soon. We sell her toys because every time I look at them, it makes me sad.”

“One night, as I was holding my little girl’s hand, she asked me to be happy. She said, ‘Mommy, when I’m gone, remember me with a smile.’ So I decided to sell the toys. She bought this doll saying it would remind me of her. I’m sorry that I feel like I’m saying too much to you, but my heart is truly relieved today. Thank you for listening to me.”

As Miriam finished, she burst into tears again. Pauline comforted her, and the two women talked for a while about their lives. Pauline told her how she had raised Eve alone and invited her to spend some time with them.

“Eve will be delighted to meet you,” she said. “And thank you very much for the doll. It made my daughter’s day. I’m sure your daughter is looking at you and smiling. Thanks again,” she added before leaving.

A few days later, Miriam visited Eve and Pauline in the trailer where they were living.

“This is in appreciation for your kind heart and patience in listening to me that day.” “I hope this helps you and Eve,” Miriam said, handing Pauline an envelope.

When Pauline opened it, she found a few dollar bills inside. $3,000 in total. “Oh, Miriam, we can’t take this. It’s a lot. No, no, it won’t do…”

“You can take it, Pauline,” Miriam insisted. “A mother’s heart knows how much it hurts when you can’t do enough for your child. We did this by selling the toys. Please keep it. If not for me, keep it for Eve.”

Pauline wept. “Oh, Miriam, thank you. This will help us a lot. Thank you.” »

From that moment on, Miriam and Pauline became friends, and Miriam loved and spoiled Eve too much. But the best part is that Pauline and Eve’s company helped Miriam heal and overcome her loss.

What can we learn from this story?

Help someone in need and you will never regret it. Pauline and Miriam helped each other in every way they could. This helped Miriam overcome her grief, and Pauline and Eve found someone who enjoyed their company.

Sometimes, the cause of someone’s smile is the source of another person’s grief. Unfortunately, the doll that made Eve happy on her birthday was a reminder of Miriam’s sad past.