I looked around. No one was there.
The drum was filled with items for Willow: diapers, wipes, two cans of formula, a fleece blanket, and a small stuffed elephant, brand new. On top sat a folded note.
My hands trembled as I opened the washer door and picked it up.
“For you and your little girl. — J.”
Just that. No explanation. No request. Only kindness.
I stood there for a long moment, letting the reality sink in. A stranger—someone who had noticed my tired eyes, my worn uniform, the way I held Willow close—had quietly helped while expecting nothing in return.
When I carried everything home, my mother gasped at the sight.
“There are still good people in this world,” she whispered, touching the note as though it were something fragile.
I placed it on the fridge with a sunflower magnet. It stayed there, reminding me every day that we were not alone.
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