Gavin Mars, an American who had just been left by his fiancée, sympathized with a homeless woman and her baby and let them sleep in his house for one night. But when he woke up the next morning, he realized that his life would never be the same.
Gavin walked into the hospital, well-dressed and handsome, but his worried expression revealed that something was wrong. His wife, Olivia, accompanied him both in the walk and in the serious look. When a doctor opened the door of his office, calling Gavin to enter, he froze. Gavin looked at Olivia, hoping she would accompany him, but she was looking at her cell phone screen and said she would wait outside. Alone, he entered the office.
Twenty minutes later, at the end of the consultation, Gavin left the office stunned. What he heard from the doctor was not what he expected, and all he needed at that moment was comfort.
“Are you done? Can we go now?” Olivia asked harshly.
Gavin replied, “Yes,” and the couple left the hospital distantly. Gavin felt desolate and walked automatically, hardly realizing where he was going. Olivia walked beside him, saying nothing, just typing on her cell phone. In the car, the woman finally put away her phone, sighed, and looked at him firmly.
“Well, judging by your behavior, you won’t be able to give me an heir.”
The lump in Gavin’s throat prevented him from responding. He needed a few seconds to organize his thoughts and said, “I’m still waiting for the results of some tests. There’s still hope.”
“I don’t have time to wait anymore, Gavin,” the woman interrupted. “I’m an independent woman. I’ve achieved what I wanted with my career. Now I lack a child. If only I had known about your incapacity before…”
At this point, Gavin no longer heard what his wife was saying. Through the car window, he observed a touching scene: sitting on a bench on the street was a young woman with a weary and tired expression. She held a baby in her arms who was crying. Gavin felt his heart tighten at the sight of that homeless mother trying to calm her baby.
“Wait a second, I’ll be right back,” Gavin said to Olivia, who was confused and asked him to go home quickly. But Gavin ignored her and kept walking. Gavin entered a small diner and came out carrying sandwiches and a bottle of juice. Then he headed towards the woman with the baby. As he approached them, Gavin introduced himself and, handing over the food, said with a smile, “Here, hope this makes your day better.”
The woman looked at him confused and somewhat scared, seeing that the man was giving her food. She took the package and thanked him. However, in the midst of that simple moment, Olivia hit the car horn and shouted loudly through the window, “Let’s go now, Gavin! This is not the time for charity.”
The woman with the baby bowed her head in embarrassment and thanked again for the food, her voice low like a whisper. Gavin got into the car and didn’t even have time to start the engine.
“Can I know what that was all about? Gavin, interacting with that kind of people—is this just to embarrass me? You seem to enjoy this.”
Gavin replied that he was just trying to help someone in a delicate situation. Olivia added that her husband’s supposed heroic attitude did not help their situation at all.
“Don’t you have more important things to worry about?” Olivia concluded.
Gavin closed his face and preferred to remain silent. That night, while Olivia slept beside him, Gavin sat on the bed feeling a mix of anguish and revolt, as if someone had taken away from him the possibility of fulfilling his greatest dream—to be a father. He got up and left the room, walking down the hallway and stopping in front of a door. When he gathered the courage to open it, tears finally rolled down his face. The room was beautifully decorated to welcome a baby. It was clear that a lot of love and dedication had been put into it. Gavin sat in the armchair in the dark and ended up falling asleep there.
A few days passed, and Gavin and Olivia went back to the hospital for the results of the last tests Gavin had taken. As before, Olivia did not want to accompany him, and Gavin entered the office alone. He sat down and listened as the doctor explained what his tests indicated.
“I’m sorry, but I don’t have good news,” the doctor said with a serious expression. “Both the spermogram result and the DNA test are conclusive in a diagnosis: you are infertile and will never be able to have biological children.”
The doctor concluded. Those words weighed on his shoulders like a rock. Devastated, Gavin left the office without saying a word. Olivia didn’t ask any questions, as if she had already understood everything from her husband’s expression. When they arrived home, Gavin sought solace in his partner’s arms while crying, but all he found was anger.
“You know that my dream has always been to be a mother, Gavin. If you can’t give me a child, I don’t know how I can be happy. This is not fair to me.”
Gavin argued that his infertility was a coincidence, he was not to blame, and was as devastated as she was.
“If the fault isn’t yours, then whose is it? I can get pregnant; I’m perfectly healthy. If you were a real man, I would already be pregnant,” Olivia said, stabbing Gavin once and for all.
Gavin couldn’t believe what he was hearing, and his argument ceased. Olivia had crossed all boundaries. Hurt and feeling alone, Gavin watched his wife pack some personal items in a small suitcase.
“I’m going to my father’s house. Someone will come to pick up the rest of my things in the next few days,” Olivia said as she closed the door behind her.
Without thinking, Gavin went to the shelf and grabbed a bottle of wine. He had stopped drinking years ago, but at that moment, all he wanted was to numb that devastating feeling. He downed two glasses at once, and by the third, he was already feeling dizzy. Desolate, Gavin left the house. In addition to having to deal with the fact that he could never be a biological father, something that was his greatest dream, he also had to deal with his wife’s abandonment.
This whirlwind of problems led him to spend the night drinking in bars until he got drunk. In the cold night, Gavin walked slowly until he reached the bridge. He leaned on the railing and remembered the happy moments he had lived with Olivia, especially when they decorated and prepared the room that would be for the long-awaited baby. But at that moment, what should have been a beautiful memory had become a curse. All Gavin felt was a growing anguish. With unsteady steps due to so much alcohol consumed, Gavin looked more like a ghost.
A cacophony of voices took over his head, but the voice that stood out the most was that of the doctor saying, “You are infertile and will never be able to have biological children.” Altered by alcohol and pain, he began to gesture, imitating the doctor’s movement in a melancholic way. Gradually, Gavin approached the edge of the bridge as the cold wind blew on his face, warning him that he was crossing the safety limits. In his mind, the same questions tortured him: why did I achieve a three-story house, a car, and a bank account stuffed if I don’t have a wife and a child to enjoy all this with?
On the edge of the bridge, practically hanging, he looked down, saw the murky water, and drank the last sip from the bottle he carried with him when he heard a shout, “Hey, guy!” At first, Gavin thought he was seeing things, but after squinting hard, he gasped. A few meters away from him was a woman with a baby in her arms. Looking closer, Gavin recognized her. It was the same woman he had seen leaving the hospital. Exacerbated by the drink, he said, “I remember you.” At that moment, the baby in the woman’s arm started crying. The baby’s cry had an unexpected effect on Gavin, as if it had pulled him back to life. Gavin stepped away from the bridge railing and asked, “Why is she crying? Did I scare her?”
In a low voice, the woman replied, “If I don’t eat, how can I feed her?”
Upon hearing this, the businessman felt extremely uncomfortable. While he was about to give up everything, others remained steadfast without even knowing how to feed their children.
“Come with me, let’s go buy something for you to eat,” Gavin said, embarrassed.
The woman looked suspiciously at Gavin but did not refuse the offer. They walked towards a nearby store. The swaying motion of the walk in her mother’s arms calmed the baby again. Walking through the store aisles, the woman said her name was Lauren and that the baby in her arms was her daughter named Lily. As they walked, Gavin asked if she was raising her daughter alone on the streets, to which the woman replied that she had been abandoned by her boyfriend when he found out she was pregnant. She had grown up in an orphanage and lived with him, and so she lost both her partner and the roof over her head at once. Lauren managed to afford modest rent for a few months until she was evicted for non-payment. Gavin listened to the story and felt disgusted, especially because it was a delicate matter for him.
“I don’t understand how someone abandons the woman carrying their own child. It’s unacceptable,” Gavin said, unable to hide his indignation.
It had been two weeks since Lauren and her daughter had been living on the streets. However, even in that difficult situation, she was still a well-groomed, articulate, and intelligent woman. The young mother was awkward about receiving help from a stranger, so she carefully chose discounted items from the shelves and put them in the cart. Seeing that,
Gavin said it wasn’t necessary.
“Don’t worry about prices, get the best quality items.”
Lauren relaxed for the first time since they met and responded with a gentle smile, “I’ll use your money as if it were mine. I’ll take the discounted items; there’s nothing wrong with them.”
Surprised, Gavin just nodded. As they left the store, Gavin said, “Look, I live alone now, and in my house, I have a guest room where you two can spend the night.”
Lauren immediately became frightened by the man’s proposal. She handed Gavin the bag she was holding, returning everything she had received from the man.
“No, I appreciate it, but I’d rather go on with my life. See you later.”
Gavin understood Lauren’s mistrust and said, “I understand that you don’t trust me, and you shouldn’t. After all, I’m a stranger. But I swear I have no ulterior motives. My wife left me today, and in a moment of weakness, I almost did something foolish. Maybe you and your daughter saved my life, and I’ll be forever grateful to you. I’m a good person, and I just want to give back.”
At that moment, the baby in Lauren’s arms smiled at Gavin, made a cute sound, and then burst into laughter. Baby Lily was having fun watching Gavin’s expressions. That laughter from his daughter made Lauren relax a bit. She remembered the day she received the sandwich and juice from that same man and how the woman in the car had shouted at him.
“We’ll just eat and take a shower, and then we’ll leave, okay?” Lauren said.
Gavin smiled and replied, “Sure, deal.”
The three of them went to Gavin’s house, and upon arriving at the place, Lauren was wide-eyed. It wasn’t a luxurious mansion, but it was more than the woman had ever had. Gavin led her to the living room and put the groceries on the table, excusing himself to leave the room. Upon returning, he handed Lauren some clothing options.
“I bought these pieces for my ex-wife, but she didn’t like them. If you want, they’re yours. I also have these little clothes for your baby, and you can take a shower there,” Gavin added, pointing to a room. “Make yourselves at home. I’ll quickly prepare something for us to eat.”
Lauren picked up her daughter and went to the suite. Upon entering the room, she noticed it was a baby’s room, all planned to accommodate a child, which left her perplexed. She bathed her daughter, breastfed her until Lily fell asleep. Gavin prepared a simple dinner and was surprised when Lauren entered the room again with Lily in her arms. She didn’t seem like the same woman he had encountered on the street minutes before. Lauren gently placed Lily on the living room couch and sat down at the table. The young mother devoured the meal with great appetite. Gavin watched her lovingly, sympathizing with this woman challenged by life, and there beside her, Lily rested warmly and safely for the first time in weeks. At that moment, a feeling hitherto unknown stirred in Gavin’s heart, bringing him a sense of comfort and warmth. He was experiencing, even if only imaginatively, the feeling of having a loving family.
Gavin chose not to delve into Lauren’s past or ask uncomfortable questions. He had already understood the main point: Lauren and Lily had no one to lend them a hand except him.
“Do you have any kids?” Lauren asked, starting a conversation.
Gavin swallowed hard before answering the question. With a shaky voice, he replied that he couldn’t have children, although he had always wanted to.
“I was sure I would be a father soon, so I decorated the nursery and got everything ready. I even dreamed about it, but my dream turned into a nightmare after countless attempts with my ex-wife,” he said, still with a trembling voice.
Sensing that Gavin was getting emotional, Lauren apologized for touching on a sensitive subject. Gavin reassured her, “Don’t worry, Lauren. In fact, I should apologize. I’ve never been in the state you found me in today. I saw myself sinking deeper and deeper into a dark abyss. If it weren’t for you…” Gavin faltered, unable to complete the sentence, and Lauren laid her hand on his.
“It’s okay. We all have a dark side, but we need to keep faith in ourselves and know when to accept help when it comes. That’s why I accepted your invitation.”
For the first time in a long time, Gavin felt understood, and it wasn’t by the woman he had spent the last few years with but by that stranger he had encountered on the street days before. The two finished the meal, and Lauren picked up Lily from the couch. Gavin insisted they sleep in the baby’s room, and this time the young mother didn’t refuse. Lauren went to the room and put Lily to sleep in the crib. She looked at the room’s decoration, and in every detail, there was love and tenderness. Tears welled up in her eyes as she watched her daughter sleeping under the dim light of the bedside table. At that moment, Gavin appeared in the doorway, smiled, and wished them both good night, stepping away. At that moment, Lauren imagined Gavin passing by the room every day, fully aware that he would never hear a child’s laughter in there.
The next day, Lauren was surprised to be woken up by another resident of Gavin’s house—a cat named Chips. Chips liked having the company of the mother and daughter and started rubbing against Lauren’s leg, purring affectionately and tapping her ankle with his paw.
“Good morning, cutie,” Lauren exclaimed, scratching the animal behind the ear.
Gavin had woken up earlier and immediately prepared breakfast for Lauren—coffee, bread, eggs, and various fruits served at the table. As they ate, Gavin’s cell phone alarm went off, leaving him pale with surprise. It was a reminder of an important business trip which Gavin had forgotten about due to the whirlwind his life had become in recent days, in addition to the drinking the day before. Hurriedly, Gavin told Lauren that he needed to get ready to catch a plane, but that she could stay there without any problems. Lauren hesitated, to which Gavin replied, “We need to know how to accept help, right? There’s no sense in you and Lily sleeping on the street when this apartment will be empty. Besides, who’s going to take care of Chips for me?” Gavin finished with a convincing smile.
Lauren thought for a few seconds, and Gavin breathed a sigh of relief when she finally accepted the proposal. Before Gavin’s departure, Lauren made a sandwich for him and timidly told him that she would eagerly wait for him. When Gavin said goodbye to Lauren at the door, he felt he would miss Lauren and Lily and replied, “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Please wait for me. I feel something good and true between us.” Lauren nodded in agreement, and Gavin bid farewell.
Weeks passed, and Gavin and Lauren talked daily through video calls. During these conversations, the young mother showed Chips and also her daughter Lily. Their relationship grew closer every day through long conversations filled with laughter and deep topics. Olivia had asked for a divorce, and as much as the reason hurt Gavin, the happiness he felt talking to Lauren was greater than he had ever felt with his ex-wife. Gavin returned home weeks later, holding a bouquet of white roses. Now he knew exactly what he wanted from life and realized it hundreds of miles away.
“Lauren, would you like to be my girlfriend?” Gavin said, emotional.
Lauren accepted, and they kissed. Months passed, and their relationship grew even stronger. One night, as they were leaving a restaurant, Gavin carried Lily in his arms when he crossed paths with his ex-wife, Olivia, at the door, who was totally surprised by the scene. The calmness with which Gavin handled the situation made him even more aware that he was now with the right person.
“Gavin, is that you? This baby, but how?”
Gavin walked towards his car without paying much attention. “Sorry, my daughter needs to go to bed. Good night.”
Lauren squeezed Gavin’s waist and accompanied him, holding back tears as she confirmed that her daughter now had a father. Lauren and Gavin got married, uniting their hearts at the altar. Gavin’s acquaintances and friends admired this beautiful and unexpected encounter, wishing the couple much happiness. Lauren held him by the hand, and the three got into the car. Gavin started the engine, heading towards a life full of love and challenges like the father and husband he had always dreamed of being.
