A strange sound from the bathroom on a cross-country flight gives flight attendant Leslie a terrible fright. Little does she realize that the kid inside will forever change her life.
Leslie rubbed her temple with one hand as she headed to her plane. She had a throbbing headache to remind her of the night she had spent partying at one of the hottest clubs in Atlanta.
“Amy!” Leslie called when she saw her fellow flight attendant. “Please tell me you have some headache pills?”
Amy looked at Leslie and rolled her eyes. “Of course I do, but you should know better than to party the night before a cross-country flight.”
“We announced what we planned to do on the crowdfunding campaign too,” Ben’s dad added, “so everything is above board.”
Leslie pressed the check to her chest as tears welled up in her eyes. “Thank you all so much,” she sobbed. “This is the greatest gift I’ve ever received. I only hope it’s enough.”
Ben lunged forward and hugged Leslie’s legs. “It will be enough, I’m sure of it! And when Joe is better one day, I’m going to come back here to play with him.”
Leslie smiled and ruffled the boy’s hair. “You’ll always be welcome to visit here, Ben.”
The check was almost the exact amount Leslie needed. After countless doctors and treatments, Joe returned to his old self a month later.
As Leslie watched him playing with the neighbor’s dog on the front lawn, it was hard to imagine a time when he hadn’t been strong and full of laughter.
“And it’s all thanks to Ben,” she muttered.
The familiar sound of a plane soaring overhead drew Leslie’s eyes skywards. She would soon return to work. She’d also just thought of the perfect way to repay Ben’s family for their generosity.
She pulled out her phone and started making calls. The next day, she called Ben’s mom to tell her that the airline offered her family a generous discount on all flights for the rest of their lives.
What can we learn from this story?
All children need attention. Ben was desperate to earn his mother’s affection, so he acted foolishly. If she’d realized her son felt neglected, she could’ve acted sooner to ensure he always felt loved.
You can only avoid emotional pain for so long. Instead of distracting herself from the pain of missing her family with partying and destructive habits, Leslie could’ve found a healthier coping mechanism.
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