Gregory secured the door of the small corner store where he had served as a cashier for two decades. Although his worn, thin coat offered little protection against the biting cold as he walked home, he still wore a content smile. It had been another fulfilling day at work.
Gregory’s wife never understood how he found satisfaction in a position she deemed menial. She had left him, convinced he lacked ambition, but he still had their daughter.
Linda was waiting in the building’s lobby where she and Gregory lived when he arrived. She had just started working as a cashier herself and was still dressed in her uniform, clutching an unopened letter.
“What do you have there, Linda?” Gregory asked as he approached.
Startled, Linda looked up. “Why don’t you tell me, Dad? I’m too afraid to open it.”
Frowning, Gregory took the envelope from his daughter’s hands. The return address listed a law firm.
“Why would a lawyer be contacting me?”
He shrugged and carefully opened it. As he read, his jaw dropped and his hands began to tremble.
“Is this bad news?” Linda questioned nervously.
“It’s… unusual. According to this letter, someone has left you an inheritance consisting of three restaurants valued at nearly four million dollars combined.”
“What?!” Linda snatched the letter away. “This must be a scam.”
“I wanted to see if you are an honest person,” Gregory replied quietly.
“There’s a simple way to find that out.” Gregory pointed to the lawyer’s phone number on the letter.
Linda placed the call and arranged a meeting for the following day. Gregory accompanied her.
“There must be some mistake,” Linda declared in the lawyer’s office. “I don’t know anyone who would leave me a business.”
The lawyer shook his head firmly. “It’s no mistake, Miss. My client, Matthew Markham, was very clear in his instructions.”
Gregory paled. “Could you please repeat that name?”
“Matthew Markham,” the lawyer confirmed.
Everything became clear to Gregory. Lowering his gaze, tears began to flow.
Some months earlier…
Matthew trembled with anxiety as he approached the store counter. Placing a pack of gum on the counter, he fixed his eyes on the cashier, whose nametag read “Gregory.” It was him.
“Sir, are you okay?” Gregory asked.
“Yes,” Matthew composed himself, handing over a five-dollar bill. “But I need to talk to you about Linda.”
Gregory stiffened. “Is she in trouble?”
“No,” Matthew shook his head. “May I have a moment of your time?”
They agreed to meet at a nearby diner during Gregory’s lunch break. While waiting, Matthew reflected on the events that had led him there.
A few days earlier, during a conversation about his terminal illness with a friend named Jeremy, Matthew expressed regrets about having no heirs to inherit his business.
Jeremy then revealed a truth: Matthew had a daughter he knew nothing about. His former girlfriend had died giving birth, and the baby was given up for adoption.
Matthew promptly hired a private investigator who located her. A few days later, he sat facing Gregory, the man who had adopted his daughter.
“Does Linda know she was adopted?” Matthew inquired.
“No, and please don’t tell her,” Gregory pleaded. “My wife recently left me, and I can’t lose Linda too. Please don’t take her away from me.”
Matthew wrestled with his feelings. He wanted to meet his daughter but didn’t want to disrupt Linda’s life or Gregory’s, especially with limited time left to live.
“What is she like? Is she a good person?” he finally asked.
Gregory smiled warmly. “She’s wonderful—kind and respectful to everyone.”
Matthew nodded, formulating a plan.
The next day, disguised as a poor man, he went to the store where Linda worked. He picked out some basic groceries and queued at her checkout.
“I’m sorry, miss,” he said when she announced the total. “I can’t afford it all. I have only ten dollars.”
“Don’t worry, sir,” Linda smiled. “I’ll cover the rest.”
One week later, Matthew returned dressed elegantly. He selected the most expensive items and again waited behind Linda’s register.
“Make way!” he shouted, pushing to the front of the line. “I’m in a hurry!”
He slammed the goods on the counter with an air of arrogance. “Hurry up, girl—I’ve got an important meeting!”
“You’ll need to inform them you’ll be late,” Linda responded, setting aside her own purchases and turning to the customer waiting behind him. “Please, ma’am, it’s your turn.”
“I should be served first!” Matthew protested.
“Sorry, sir. Nobody cuts in line, no matter how important they think they are,” she said firmly.
Matthew grinned with satisfaction. “I’m glad you said that.”
He bought a bouquet of yellow lilies. “These are for you, Linda. My name is Matthew, and I did all this to see if you were a good person.”
“Do me a favor: remember my name every time you see these yellow lilies.”
Present-day…
“Matthew is your biological father, Linda,” Gregory revealed. “You were adopted.”
“Why didn’t you ever tell me?”
“I’m so sorry. I didn’t want you to feel different. When your mother left, I feared you would also abandon me if you learned I wasn’t your real father.”
Linda embraced him. “I would never do that, Dad.”
The lawyer cleared his throat. “As I mentioned, my client left you, his sole heir, the ownership of three restaurants valued at over a million dollars each, following his death a month ago.”
“Mr. Markham also requested that a special gift be delivered to you.”
He stepped out briefly and then returned with a bouquet of yellow lilies, extending them to Linda.
Linda accepted the flowers tenderly. “Now it makes sense.” She turned to Gregory. “He came to the store once and told me to think of his name whenever I saw yellow lilies.”
Gregory laid a hand on her shoulder. “I’m sure he was very proud of you, Linda, and he will continue to be, watching over you from above.”
“Treat everyone with kindness and respect, and rewards will follow.”
- Matthew chose to entrust his business to Linda because he recognized her integrity and kindness.
- Contentment can be found even in simple, honest living.
- Both Gregory and Linda found happiness working as cashiers and leading honest lives.
This touching tale reminds us of the power of compassion and honesty. It illustrates how genuine character can unlock unforeseen blessings, even in the most unexpected ways. Keeping faith in integrity and kindness enriches not only our lives but those around us.