A man betrayed in love finds a note in a book from a flea market and realizes a single mother of two desperately needs his help.

The sweet kisses and cozy nights were a lie. The hugs and promises were a lie. “I’m glad we’re done!” Cole grumbled as he packed his ex-fiancée’s things, a wave of relief washing over him.

Lara was beautiful, young, and the prettiest woman Cole had ever seen in his entire life. When he proposed to her and she said yes, he was the happiest man on earth. But a few months before the wedding, he was hesitant to marry her.

On Christmas Eve, when he discovered how she cheated on him with his best friend, he knew exactly why he felt that way. So after cleaning her stuff out, he felt relieved he was saved from an awful life partner…

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Cole had packed almost all her things in an ugly brown box when he stumbled upon an old book, which was gifted to him by Lara. He loved old books, their yellow sheets, and flawless words penned by authors. While he despised Lara, he couldn’t despise a book.

So Cole opened it and began reading, not realizing when hours had passed. Then he turned to a fresh page and came across a strange note.

“What does this even mean?” Cole wondered. “Ah, it’s an old book. Someone must have left it long ago.”

Cole left the note on his bedside table and would return to it only later that night while having wine. He didn’t know if it was the sudden braveness under the wine’s influence or his broken heart, but Cole dialed the number.

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After a few rings, a deep, slumberous voice answered. “Who’s this?” she asked.

“Um, hey, hi,” Cole said. “I had this book that my ex gifted me, and I found your contact number in there. I was just curious… can I help you with something?”

“Jesus Christ!” He heard her sighing. “You must be high. Do you even know what time it is? You’re calling a stranger at 1 in the morning!”

“Hey, look, I didn’t mean to, okay? I was just wondering—”

“Well, I don’t have time for this. You woke me up, and I’m really annoyed. So goodbye!”

“Hey, but—”

Before Cole could finish, he heard a beep on the other end of the line. The woman had hung up.

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Cole looked at the note again and sighed. Guess I shouldn’t have called her so late, he reflected. Weird woman, though. Why leave such a message when you don’t need help?

Cole stuffed the note in his drawer, not hoping to come across it again, and went to bed. But the next morning, when he was all alone, thinking how Lara had cheated on him, he felt he needed to talk to someone and redialed her. He didn’t expect her to pick up.

“Hey, hi! This is Cole. I called you last night, remember?” he said.

“One second,” she paused. “Sorry. What was it again?”

“Um, I found this note in… Ah, well, never mind. I know you were pretty annoyed when I called last night, and I just wanted to make it up to you, so how about a coffee? Wait, I’m… I mean, where you from? Sorry, I found this note in a book, and it had your number on it.”

“Oh, so you’re the one who called me!” Cole heard her laughing. “Um, well, I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I’m sorry I was kinda rude to you last night. Do you know the coffee shop right next to Mainstream Way… if you’re in Atlanta? Let this be my treat. I’m caught up with something right now. Let’s meet and talk?”

“Yep, I’m very much in Atlanta. That old cafe?” he asked.

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“Yes, that’s the one. See you at 3, if that’s okay with you?” she said.

“Perfect, yeah! See you! Listen, I also wanted to say that I can help you with whatever you meant to write on that note.”

“I’ll see you soon, Cole. Let’s talk then. Thanks!”

Later that day, Cole finally met the stranger he had dialed in the middle of the night. Her name was Harriet, she was a single mother of two children, and he was amazed by her beauty.

“So all I know about you is that you’re a single mother. This is what I found…” he said, pulling out the note from the book. “Did you—”

“Oh well, my ex got it. She said she found it at a flea market.”

“That’s mine!” she said. “I left that book with the seller! Oh dear, the note was here? It reached you?”

“I don’t understand,” Cole said.

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“I think it was some time ago…” Harriet began. “I was really devastated, you know. My ex-husband divorced me and didn’t pay any alimony. He found someone else and took away everything I had—my kids and my mental peace too. I struggled to get a job, and I fought to have my kids back.”

“He was an awful man. All I wanted was to give my two children the best life, but I’m still lost. I needed that help because I was heartbroken and alone, so I left the note, hoping it would reach someone who would help me.”

“And now you seem to be doing great…” Cole said gently. “We just met, but I’m already kinda proud of you.”

“Thanks,” she replied. “But it’s not as simple as it looks. I had to work two jobs for my children, and I kind of burned myself out. I fell sick, was in the hospital for a few days, and had to stop stressing myself. Now I’ve got a simple job, and I don’t make much, but we are better, I guess… Funny, I still believe love and kindness exists. Thanks for reaching out to me, Cole…”

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A few years later, Cole and Harriet would remember that conversation and smile. Something sparked between them right from the first meeting—was it Harriet’s lovely eyes and broken heart? Was it Cole’s soul longing to love someone? Was it Harriet’s need for help and Cole’s eagerness to extend a helping hand to her?

Nobody knows the answer, but Cole and Harriet are together today as a married couple, living the life of their dreams. Love and kindness exist, after all, as Harriet believes.

What can we learn from this story?

Your destiny will guide you to the person who is meant for you. Cole and Harriet were destined to be together, and miraculously, a note made it all possible.
Love and kindness still exist in this crazy world. Cole’s heart for helping Harriet eventually led him to the woman he would love more than anything.

If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a 51-year-old woman who fell in love with her best friend’s 33-year-old son after an accidental encounter.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone’s life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.