02/14/2025
ONE DAY, A COURIER BROUGHT CHINESE FOOD I DIDN'T ORDER — THE MESSAGE I FOUND ON THE BACK OF THE RECEIPT WAS JUST THE BEGINNING.
It was a Thursday evening and like most evenings the house was chaos. My five-year-old, Jamie, was building a Lego tower while my toddler, Emily, had decided that the living room carpet was the perfect place for a yogurt art installation. I was exhausted. Single motherhood had become my reality when my husband left two years ago. He had chosen his mistress over us, started a new family, and left me to pick up the pieces.
I had just finished cleaning up Emily's latest masterpiece when the doorbell rang. I wasn't expecting anyone, and my first thought was that it must be a solicitor or a neighbor needing something. Instead, it was a young man in a delivery uniform holding a large paper bag of Chinese takeout.
"Hi, uh, delivery for Mrs. Carter?" he said, checking the name on his phone.
"I think you've got the wrong address," I replied, confused.
He frowned and double-checked. "It's paid for already. Are you sure you didn't order this?"
I shook my head. "I didn't."
"Well, enjoy the food, I guess. No one’s picking up the number listed," he said with a shrug, handing over the bag.
Curious and slightly baffled, I brought the food inside. The smell of sweet and sour chicken wafted through the air, making my stomach growl. As I set the bag on the counter, I noticed a receipt tucked inside.
On the back, written in neat handwriting, was a note. I stared at it, my heart racing.⬇️
