Her Son
She held her hands tightly as she welcomed her to the family. But her smile dropped when she spotted the unusual birthmark. She suddenly felt queasy.
She was soon to be her son’s wife. She looked into the beautiful girl’s eyes, hoping she was wrong. She realized that her features looked familiar, and her heart dropped.
Girlfriend
Martha Kenny was a 64-year-old woman who lived alone in a local community in the North Carolina suburbs of Fargo. She was looking forward to her son’s wedding.
Her son had moved to New York four years ago, and she hadn’t seen him since. His career kept him busy, and it was too expensive for him to make the trip to see her.
Big News
Martha never troubled him because she knew how expensive it was to live in New York. She only wanted the best for her son, and she was happy if he was.
Mark called her six months after moving to New York to tell her he was seeing someone. Martha was glad to hear the news and proud of her son. But she had no idea what he had gotten himself into.
Flying To Fargo
Her son called Martha every now and then as the year passed, but she longed for more. One day, Mark called her with big news. She was ecstatic when he told her he had proposed to his girlfriend.
Her son’s wedding would be one of his life’s most important days, and she wanted to find the perfect dress. However, she had no idea that she should have been worried about other matters.
Holly
Martha was grateful that her son and his fiancée planned to marry in Fargo. She had been worried about flying to New York alone, but they were the ones making the trip instead.
She had found a lovely dress for the occasion and quickly put it on. She was excited to see her son again and meet her daughter-to-be. But she had no idea what she was going to encounter.
Dizzy
Martha had never met her son’s fiancée before; the only thing she knew about her was that her name was Holly. The closest she got to meet her was talking over the phone.
She grew tearful when she spotted her son and hugged him. She had missed him. All she could think about was how much he’d grown and that he would soon start his own family. Then she glanced at the woman behind him.
“What’s Wrong?”
Martha didn’t hesitate to pull Holly in for a hug before squeezing her hands in hers. She knew how much her son loved this woman and warmly welcomed her into the family. But she froze when she spotted something strange.
She felt dizzy all of a sudden. It felt like her world had tilted on its axis.
Something She’s Seen Before
When Martha squeezed Holly’s hands affectionately, she noticed the birthmark on the back of one of them. There was no denying what she saw and she felt queasy looking at the unusual shape.
Holly was surprised by the look Martha wore on her face. “What’s wrong?” she asked.
Could It Be?
Martha quickly composed herself and replied that nothing was the matter. But she couldn’t help the images that flashed in her mind. She had seen that birthmark before.
Her biological daughter had gone missing years before, and she bore the same birthmark. It broke her heart to have lost her daughter, and seeing the birthmark was a gut-wrenching reminder.
Needing Proof
Martha forced herself to smile at Holly, using the opportunity to study her. She searched for answers in her eyes and wondered if she had found her missing daughter.
She gazed at her son’s beautiful fiancée for a long time before being sure of the similarities. Her breathing became ragged.
At His Happiest
Martha’s heart was pounding in her chest, and she tried her best to calm it down. Was she seeing something she wanted to see, or was her gut feeling right?
She was startled by the situation she found herself in. She knew Holly was her son’s fiancée, but she had yet to prove if she was her long-lost daughter.
Meeting The Parents
She didn’t want to say anything without being sure. It would only risk the chance of ruining their wedding. She had her suspicions but needed to find something to back them up.
Her son was the happiest she had ever seen, and she didn’t want to take that away from him. So many people were there to see the wedding, and she had no idea how they would react. But she still needed answers.
Years Without Knowing
That’s when she had an idea. Holly’s parents would hold the answers, so she asked if she could meet them.
Holly jumped at the idea and quickly introduced them. After they exchanged pleasantries, Martha asked Holly if she could speak with her parents alone. Holly agreed and looked for Mark.
Was She Adopted?
Martha hadn’t prepared in advance for this encounter and had no idea how to bring up the question. What would Holly’s parents think of her when she did?
She had spent years without knowing what had happened to her daughter and needed an answer. This meant a lot to her, so why should she care what they thought? She forced herself to look them in the eyes.
Truth’s Out
She wanted to be as careful as possible with the question and forced herself to ask them if Holly was their adopted child.
Their demeanor changed instantly, and they looked at each with wide eyes. No one had ever confronted them like this before, and they were unsure if they should share their secret. Despite Martha begging for the answer, she wasn’t ready for what she would hear.
An Answer
Holly’s parents revealed that she was indeed adopted. But they hadn’t told anyone, not even her. They asked Martha why she asked them that.
But rather than answering, Martha begged them to disclose with her how they adopted her and if they knew her birth parents. The couple looked at eachother worryingly before answering.
Broken Communication.
They told her that they found a toddler on the street over twenty years ago. No one came to claim her so they brought her home and cared for her. They gave her an education and raised her as their own daughter.
Martha couldn’t believe what she was hearing. She burst into tears.
Eavesdropping
All this time Martha feared her daughter had been kidnapped or worse. She never could have imagined a nice family took her in and raised her kindly and well.
Holly’s parents said that they reported her into the local authorities around the area. Martha’s heart broke as she realised they failed to make the connection with her missing girl statement. They had no idea someone was listening.
Barely Audible
Curious as to what they needed to discuss in private, Holly joined a circle of friends closeby. Slowly, she inched closer and closer to her parents and Martha.
She nodded politely along with the conversation her friends were having as she strained her ears. She could just about pick up what they were saying.
Confrontation
They spoke in harsh whispers. “She doesn’t know she’s adopted”, Holly heard her mother speak.
“I think she’s my biological daughter”, she heard Martha weep. “I lost her over twenty years ago on a trip in Alabama and never found her again”. “Oh my god”, Holly’s mom gasped.
Opening Up
Holly’s head snapped towards them. She was wide-eyed, staring at Martha in shock. Her eyes grew glossy with tears.
Slowly, Holly approached them. “Is this true?” she asked her parents. They stared in shock at her, Martha too. She never meant for her to find out like this. Holly’s parents spoke.
Surrendering
“We found you on the street in a beat-down town in Alabama. We tried looking for your parents but no one showed up. We couldn’t leave you”, her mom cried.
Holly stared at Martha in complete confusion. Martha stared back. They were both crying at the completely bizarre discovery. But the day wasn’t over yet.
Not Related
Holly was the first to break the tension. After the initial shock, she caved. Her shoulders sagged as she surrendered to the impossible turn of events and opened her arms.
Martha mirrored her actions and the two women tearfully embraced each other. But what about her son? Could the wedding go ahead?
Wedding Continued
Although each party was in complete shock and overcome with emotion, the reunion actually turned out to be an incredibly joyous one in the end.
In a very fortunate turn of events, and to the relief of everyone involved, the newly-wed bride and groom were able to continue with their wedding. But how?
Twist Of Fate
Remarkably, Mark and Holly did not suffer from a blood or hereditary relationship and could continue with their wedding.
If they did, their love would have been completely illegal and their wedding would have become null and void. But how were they not related?
One Big Difference
In another lucky twist of fate, Martha’s son, Mark, was actually adopted. After failing to find her daughter, Martha was devastated. She decided to direct her heartbreak into something positive so she applied for adoption and raised another child in need.
But between Mark and Holly, there was one big difference in how they grew up.
A Blessing
Unlike Holly, Mark grew up knowing he was adopted all along. Martha decided to tell him the truth whenever he asked but she always made him feel like her own biological child.
She was an incredible woman and a loving mother. But how did he react to this impossible discovery?
DNA Tests
Despite the shock, Mark and Holly were relieved that they weren’t related in any way. The love they had for each other was stronger than any gossip. And they soon came to view the bizarre situation as an incredible blessing for Martha.
Holly was also eager to learn more about her biological mother and the tragedy that unfolded all those years ago.
Happy Ending
Holly remembered nothing of it. She was only two at the time and had a bad memory of her childhood years. She had a tendency to forget things that happened yesterday!
However, to be sure of their relationship, Holly and Martha took DNA tests. The results confirmed their belief. However, one question remained.
Holly had no recollection of her biological father and asked Martha what had happened. Martha sadly told her that he had passed more than a decade ago from an illness.
The news made Holly even more grateful towards her adoptive parents and towards finding her birth mother before it was too late. For this family, it was a happy ending!