Stella finally made it to her business class seat. Nervous but determined, she was about to embark on her very first flight at the age of 85.
But Franklin Delaney, the man seated beside her, scowled. “I don’t want to sit next to that… woman!” he nearly shouted at the flight attendant.
“Sir, this is her seat. We can’t do anything about it,” the stewardess replied gently.
“That can’t be true. These seats are way too expensive, and she couldn’t possibly afford one! Look at her clothes!” Franklin insisted.
Stella lowered her gaze, ashamed. She had worn her best outfit, though it was modest. Other passengers chimed in, agreeing with Franklin, and urged her to move. Humiliated, Stella whispered: “Miss, it’s ok. If you have another seat in economy, I’ll stay there. I spent all my savings on this seat, but it’s better not to inconvenience others.”
But the stewardess stood firm. “No, ma’am. You paid for this seat, and you deserve to sit here, no matter what anyone says.”
Franklin finally relented, and Stella remained in her seat.
When the plane took off, Stella dropped her purse in fright. Franklin helped her gather her belongings, and a ruby locket slipped out. He whistled. “Wow, this is something else.”
“What do you mean?” Stella asked.
“I’m an antique jeweler, and this locket is insanely valuable. Those are definitely real rubies. Am I wrong?”
“Honestly, I have no idea. My father gave it to my mother so many years ago, and she gave it to me when my father didn’t return home,” Stella explained.
“What happened?” Franklin asked.
“I’m sorry. My name is Franklin Delaney. I want to apologize for my earlier behavior. Some complicated things are happening in my life, and I shouldn’t have acted that way. May I ask what happened to your father?”
“My father was a fighter pilot during World War II. When America joined the war, he left home but gave this locket to my mother as a promise he would return. They loved each other dearly. I was only four years old at the time, but I remember that day clearly. He never returned.”
“That’s terrible.”
“It is. War is senseless. Nothing comes from it. And my mother never recovered from the loss. She was a shell of herself, and we barely scraped by. But even when things were dire at home, she never thought to sell it. She gave it to me when I was ten years old and told me to keep it. But I never thought to sell it either, although I’ve been through financial difficulties too. Honestly, its real value is inside.”
She opened the locket, revealing two photos. “These are my parents. Look how in love they were.”
Franklin nodded, then pointed at the other picture. “Is that your grandchild?”
“No, that’s my son, and actually, he’s the reason I’m on this flight,” Stella replied.
“You’re going to see him?”
“No, this is it. Do you remember how I said I had financial troubles? Well, I got pregnant many years ago. I was in my 30s, and my boyfriend disappeared. I had my son for several months, but it was clear that I wouldn’t be able to give him a good life. I didn’t have a support system. My mother had already passed years earlier after suffering from dementia, so I gave him up for adoption.”
“You two reconnected later?” Franklin asked.
“I tried. I found him thanks to those DNA test things. I asked a neighbor kid to help me email him. But Josh — that’s his name — replied that he was fine and didn’t need me. I tried several times to contact him and asked for forgiveness, but he never answered my emails again.”
“I don’t understand what you’re doing on this flight then. You said you were here for him.”
“He’s the pilot on this flight. I’m here because today is his birthday. He was born on January 22, 1973, and I might not have long on this earth, so I wanted to spend at least one of his birthdays with him. This is the only way.”
Later, as the plane neared New York, the pilot’s voice came over the intercom: “In addition, I want everyone to welcome my birth mother, who’s flying on my route for the first time. Hey, Mom. Wait for me once the plane lands.”
Stella’s eyes filled with tears. When the plane touched down, the pilot—her son John—broke protocol, rushing out of the cockpit to embrace her. Passengers and crew applauded as mother and son reunited.
John whispered, thanking her for doing what was best for him all those years ago. Stella reassured him: there was nothing to forgive.
What can we learn from this story?
- Never be rude to strangers. Franklin regretted his harsh words once he learned Stella’s story.
- Forgiveness is divine. Stella forgave Franklin quickly, showing grace and kindness.
- Love endures. Despite decades of separation, Stella’s love for her son never faded.