Elly Barnes, at the age of 96, had become too frail to continue living alone and maintain her little cottage. Thus, she hatched a plan that left the entire village in awe.
Elly had decided to gift her dilapidated little cottage to a homeless man. He was often ridiculed as a failure by the whole village, but he had been a reliable help to her for years. However, the shabby house was merely the wrapping for Elly's true gift to him.
Steven's Astonishing InheritanceSteven stood in front of the house, holding his breath. He could hardly believe that this house now belonged to him. He had been here so many times before, but this was the first time as the rightful owner.
However, soon Steven would discover that the house wasn't the only surprise waiting for him. Life – or rather, the death of the previous owner – had something more in store for him.
Something Out of PlaceUsing the key provided by the lawyer, he entered the house. As Steven looked around, it immediately felt as familiar as on happy days.
Days when he was a guest here or when he carried out small chores. Everything was just as he remembered. But there was one thing that caught Steven's attention immediately. "I can't believe it…"
There was a large suitcase on the table with his name on it. With trembling hands, he slowly opened the suitcase, and his jaw dropped instantly.
In disbelief, he stared at the contents and thought, "I can't believe she did this!" To better understand Steven's situation and his astonishment, a bit of background story is necessary.
Elly BarnesElly Barnes was a 96-year-old woman who lived in rural Alaska. She had grown up nearby and never felt the need to leave. She loved the area almost as much as she loved Peter, her husband of 72 years.
Elly cherished the tranquility and serenity of the open land, and one of her favorite activities was sitting with Peter on the porch when the seasons allowed. However, her simple life was about to be turned upside down.
Tragic EventsOne day, Peter passed away unexpectedly after a brief battle in the hospital. Elly was devastated. Despite her age, she had never really considered what would happen if Peter were to die first.
He had always been the healthier of the two. What would she do without him? The weeks following the funeral were filled with anxiety and bewilderment. A profound emptiness enveloped her.
Unlike Elly and Peter, their children hadn't fallen in love with Alaska. They had decided to move far away and travel south to the United States.
Both of Elly's daughters offered to take her in if she wanted to move to Boston or Dallas. However, Elly couldn't bear the thought of city life. Besides, she had roots in Alaska that no one else seemed to understand.
Childhood SweetheartsElly had moved to Alaska as a young child and met Peter on her first day of school. Back then, there wasn't much for two kids to do except play in the garden or ride bikes together.
Their town just wasn't that big. As they grew older, Elly dreamed of marrying Peter and starting a great life together. But things didn't go exactly as planned.
Hard TimesAfter their wedding, Elly and Peter struggled to find steady employment. Instead of Elly's dream house, they could only afford a small ranch with a single bedroom and a tiny living area.
It wasn't particularly luxurious, but they tried to make it work by saving up for repairs as much as possible. However, the house seemed to resist all efforts.
Tenacious and StrongWhen Peter passed away, it felt like the house had been patched and repaired a million times over. Elly knew that any sensible person would have torn it down by this point, but there were too many memories to let go.
As winter approached, she needed help to ensure the house could withstand another snowy year. But who was left to help her?
A Helping HandFortunately, Elly could rely on help from one of her neighbors, who lived just ten minutes away on foot. They had been friends for years and offered to see what they could do to keep the house in order.
However, between the leaky roof and damaged windows, there was still much to be done. It would have been a full-time job, and Elly's neighbors had their own problems to deal with.
A Second ChanceElly's neighbors were getting older themselves and couldn't do much of the manual labor needed for the house repairs.
They also had to worry about their son, Steven, who had moved in with them a few years ago after being homeless for years. Steven hadn't exactly found Elly's beloved town to be a welcoming place.
Steven had been struggling to find a job. In such a rural area, there were few opportunities, and he couldn't earn enough to move out on his own.
He hated relying on his parents' support, but without a car, he couldn't travel further in search of work. He began to lose hope until his fate finally changed.
Leisure TimeSteven was healthy and strong enough to do many tasks around Elly's house that his parents couldn't handle. He had free time and started helping Elly as much as he could.
Elly tried to pay him, but Steven always refused. He felt that he owed her something. After all, they had met under terrible circumstances.
Steven's InvitationWhen Steven first returned to town, everyone in the small community knew he had been homeless. They judged him and didn't give him a chance. He felt so alone. But Elly and Peter had welcomed him immediately and pulled him out of his crisis by inviting him for dinner occasionally.
He wanted to repay their kindness in every way possible. Little did he know that his decision to help would change his life forever.
A Good DeedSteven continued to take care of Elly to the best of his ability. He went shopping for her, cleaned the house, and even carried out repairs. They developed an even stronger bond.
Since Steven didn't want to accept money, she insisted on cooking dinner for him and knitting him a new winter scarf. But not everyone was pleased.
ConfrontationSteven's parents weren't thrilled when they saw their son working for Elly for free. He spent so much time at her house that he had no time left to apply for a job.
They had been supporting him for years, and Steven's lack of regular income put too much strain on their budget. It was clear that something needed to change.
The UltimatumFinally, Steven's parents told him that he had to decide whether he wanted to help Elly or stay at home. They couldn't continue supporting him if he didn't make an effort to earn a living.
While Steven understood, he was also surprised that his parents weren't more generous towards Elly, considering how kind she had always been to everyone. It was time to make a decision.
Steven told his parents that he didn't want to abandon Elly. They had spent months together, and he considered her his only friend. Steven's parents told him to pack his things and leave.
They didn't want him to become homeless again, but they didn't know what else to do. What would become of him once they were no longer there to take care of him?
Leaving Elly BehindSteven stood at a crossroads. He knew he would have better opportunities in one of the bigger cities if he left the small town. But that would mean leaving Elly behind.
He could still call her regularly and talk to her, but he wouldn't be there to help her with errands anymore. What would she do without him?
The DecisionSteven decided he had to move away for his own well-being. His parents were thrilled and gave him enough money to stay in a motel for a few weeks while he found a job.
However, as Steven packed, he didn't even worry about what the future of the town would look like. He could only think about saying goodbye to Elly.
FarewellSteven went to tell Elly the news. She was devastated by the news. They had grown closer after spending so much time together.
But Steven felt he had no other choice, given his parents' financial situation. He needed to build a life for himself. He only regretted that Elly wouldn't play as big a role in it. Or so he thought.
AdjustingElly tried to cope without Steven, but she had become reliant on his help. She was too old to do many things by herself. Her children kept urging her to leave the house and move down south.
But she had raised her entire family in this house. It was Peter's house, the last piece of him she had. Elly couldn't bear to part with it, but she began to believe that she might not have a choice.
Living AloneElly was determined to give living alone a real chance. She went to the supermarket, kept the house clean, and tried to perform some repairs herself.
She managed to hold on for about three weeks before something happened that made it clear that this simply wasn't an option anymore. It was one of those things that just happen.
While tidying up the kitchen, Elly tripped over a towel that had fallen to the floor. It seemed like a trivial accident, but Elly fell heavily and broke her hip.
Initially, Elly tried to hide it, but her family was quickly informed by the doctor, and this was the last straw for them. They wanted Elly to move into a nearby nursing home.
No Other ChoiceElly had always fiercely resisted this idea, but by this point, reality had become clear. She knew that what she was trying to do was foolish and dangerous, and that she was only causing her family worry.
It was time to leave the home where she had spent 60 years of her life. With the knowledge that she would be moving, only one question remained. What should she do with the house?
Who Would Get the House?Elly knew she could try to sell the house, but that would obviously not bring in much money. Besides, there was only one person who truly had a claim to it. Steven!
Elly decided to hire a lawyer to help ensure a smooth transfer of the house to Steven without a heavy tax burden.
Help from a LawyerShe also wanted the lawyer to inform Steven about everything because Elly knew she wouldn't get a word out of him if she called him herself.
And she had to make everything clear to him. Elly wasn't even sure if Steven wanted her old house, but that didn't really matter to her.
Handing Over the House to StevenWhat she was certain of, though, was that he wanted what she had left for him. Because the house was merely a decoy to hide what Elly actually wanted to give Steven. But that had to remain a surprise.
When Steven received the call from the lawyer, he was extremely surprised and somewhat uncertain about what to do next. He never expected Elly to leave the house she loved so much, let alone give it to him. Did he even deserve this? Or was there something else behind it all?
Steven Has DoubtsElly's gesture was almost too generous. Something in Steven told him that maybe his parents had something to do with it. Could they have wanted him to live closer to home again?
The more he thought about it, the less he actually wanted to return to rural Alaska. But the prospect of getting a house, no matter how rundown it was, was too tempting to reject.
StevenSteven was taken aback by Elly's generous offer, even though he suspected his parents had something to do with it. Besides, he could easily sell the house for cash if he wanted to.
Life had been tough for Steven since he moved back to the city. Was this finally a sign that things were going to get better?
Not Suited for City LifeHaving lived on the streets and struggled to find stable employment, Steven's return to the city was a challenge.
However, despite the hardships, he felt much more comfortable in the city. It was clear to him that he wanted to stay here for the long term.
A ConditionWith the potential funds from selling the house, Steven could have a better start here. That was his initial plan.
He called the lawyer back, expressing his acceptance of the offer and his desire to have the house. He also inquired if the lawyer could assist him with the sale. However, the lawyer informed him that the only condition was that he must visit the house at least once.
No ExplanationThis peculiar clause left Steven puzzled and bewildered. He wanted an explanation, but the lawyer couldn't provide further details, or perhaps chose not to.
Half reluctantly, Steven decided to accept the offer. How bad could it be to visit the place just once? Besides, he wanted to visit his parents again anyway.
Many Questions for EllyThe next step for Steven was to call Elly. He wanted to express his gratitude for her gesture and inquire about her well-being. Why did she move out of the house?
But he also hoped she could shed some light on the mysterious clause. Why did he have to see the house at least once? After all, he was already familiar with it.
UnreachableDespite numerous attempts, Steven couldn't reach Elly. Every time he called, the phone went to voicemail. Suddenly, worry crept into Steven's mind.
Could something have happened to her? Was that the reason he received the house? Could it be an inheritance? Had Elly passed away, and his parents hadn't told him anything?
The lawyerThe lawyer had provided no explanation as to why Elly had moved out of the house, only why she wanted to give it to him. At the time, Steven hadn't thought to question it and simply accepted the offer gratefully.
Initially, he assumed Elly might have wanted to mend the bond between him and his parents, and that was why he had to show up. Uncertain but curious, Steven decided to travel to the house the very next day.
Straight to the HouseUpon arriving in town, Steven made his way directly to Elly's house. He didn't want his parents to know he was there, so he avoided passing near their house.
He hoped they weren't waiting for him at Elly's place. But when he arrived, it seemed no one was there. He rang and knocked, just in case Elly was inside, waiting for him.
A Large SuitcaseAs he entered the house with the keys collected from the lawyer, he was surprised to find two new locks on the door. At first glance, there seemed to be nothing else out of the ordinary.
But then, he noticed a large suitcase on the dining table. Uncertain if it was left for him, he approached the suitcase and quickly saw his name written on it.
Full of EnvelopesSteven recognized Elly's handwriting when he opened the suitcase. He discovered that it was filled with small envelopes.
Curiously, he randomly selected one of the envelopes. On it, with old-fashioned handwriting, something was scribbled: "For grocery shopping."
Tasks Steven Had DoneHe then picked a few other envelopes. "For fixing the gutter," "For cleaning the kitchen," "For taking a walk." All tasks Steven had done over the years for Elly and Peter.
But now, the best part. Each envelope contained some money! Not much, of course, considering they were smaller tasks. Each envelope held $10 to $20, and some even had $50!
They're Full of Money!After sequentially opening and unpacking all the envelopes and counting the money, Steven realized that it totaled about $15,000!
Steven was still half in shock and decided to call Elly again. To his surprise, she actually picked up the phone this time!
Steven Moved to TearsElly explained that he had earned all of it in the past two years, but he had never accepted it. This was her way of repaying Steven for all his kindness and help.
Steven was moved to tears. This money would change his life forever. And above all, he was deeply relieved that Elly was still alive.
Changing His LifeWith the money, Steven eventually moved to Anchorage and purchased an apartment. Now having a solid foundation, he was able to completely change his life.
He quickly found a job and began to climb the career ladder. Soon after, he met his current girlfriend, and the two now live together, planning to start a family.
Still Owning the HouseHis relationship with his parents also improved over time, and he now visits them almost once a month. Whenever he's in town, he stops by Elly's house to make any necessary repairs.
He still owns the house and now rents it to a local couple who are starting their own family and are grateful to have an affordable home.
Reunion with EllySteven would see Elly once more before she passed away. About six months after she gave him the house and the money, he visited her at the nursing home.
He could have called a million times, but he had to personally thank her at least once. Thank the person who had changed his life forever.