As Ivy saw Kurt, who was a homeless man, where he was waiting at the train station, she invited him to lunch.
Ivy said, “Let me buy you lunch and a warm cup of coffee. My friend’s train ride was delayed for five hours. I don’t want to go back home, and I hate eating alone,”
As Kurt accepted the offer, they started to walk together.
“Let’s go to Bubby’s. It’s got great pancakes and burgers,” Ivy said. Kurt followed Ivy, as she led the way, in the cold weather. As Ivy tried to make small talk with Kurt, he was not in the mood. When she asked about his life, Kurt said, “It’s a long story,”
“But the short version is that I came to this town to find a better job. My parents didn’t want me to come here. We had a huge fight before I left. I yelled and told them I would never be back.”
“Well, we’ve all had that kind of fight with our parents. How old are you? You look my age now that I can see without a hat,” Ivy responded.
“I’m 25.”
“I’m 24. That’s great. We can talk comfortably,” Ivy smiled.
“Wow, you’re nice. People normally ignore anyone in need on the streets, especially here in New York. It’s brutal,”
“That’s true. But most people are ice cold to everyone around them. Anyway, how did you end up homeless? You came here to work,” Ivy said.
“Ah, yes. I came here years ago to work, and I started, but my friend who offered me the job deceived me. He didn’t pay me and stole everything I had just bought for my apartment here, even my social security card. The fight with my parents was so big that I didn’t want to go back. Then I met other people who were even worse. I got into big trouble and lost everything,” Kurt continued to his story.
Then the food came to their table. Kurt was so hungry, since he wasn’t eaten anything in days. “But you could still go back to your parents,” Ivy asked, as they were eating.
“I can’t do it,” Kurt said, as he was biting the burger.
Then Ivy proposed, “I’ll make you a deal. I’ll buy you a ticket back home. Go! Make up with your parents because we all have to admit when we need help,”
“What do you get in return?” Kurt wondered.
“I don’t know,” Ivy said, and continued, “I think it’s because Christmas is coming, I want to do my final good deed of the year. Go home, Kurt. Maybe, one day in the future, you’ll pay me back in some form.”
After they finished their lunch, Ivy bought the ticket for Kurt, and he wnet back to his home, Milford, Delaware.
It’s been six years since they met, and Ivy helped Kurt. Ivy was rushing in to the hospital in the cold weather, as she was having problems with breathing, and crying. She leaned to a wall, and kneeled down. She was having a panic attack, as she had no money to pay for her mother’s treatment.
As she lost her father in that year, now her mother was facing with a fatal disease, which she had no opportunity to pay for her treatment.
“It’s not fair!” she cried to herself, “I can’t do this… I can’t do this….”
“What can’t you do?” a man asked to Ivy.
“I can’t pay for my mother’s treatment. She’s going to die, and I can’t do anything about it. I swear… this country doesn’t care… the doctors don’t care…” she said, before she raised her head up.
She saw a shadow of a man, who was trying to look at her face, as she was trying to cover her face, since she was crying.
“I’ll think it’ll work out, Ivy,” the voice continued, which shocked Ivy. As Ivy looked carefully to the man, she noticed that it was Kurt, the homeless man which she helped him years ago.
He was so different from his old shape, as he was wearing a suit, and not his dirty clothes, and he was smiling towards her.
“Kurt! I can’t believe it! This is amazing!” Ivy hugged to Kurt, as she was happy to see him.
“I finally found you. I’ve been looking for you for a few days, but I only had your name to go on. Luckily, this place is like a small town. Your neighbor told me you were here, though. Tell me everything,” Kurt said, while they were hugging.
Then Ivy told him everything she lived through, her father, her mother, the financial issues, and the disease.
“I’ll make you a deal.” Kurt said, as Ivy finished.
SIX MONTHS LATER
“I’m so glad to be back home, honey. Dr. Henson said I was going to recover fully. Still, I almost didn’t believe him after being poked and prodded every single day,” said Tania, mother of Ivy. She was in her wheelchair, which Ivy was pushing her.
“I love it too, Mom. But there’s something I haven’t told you yet. I have a surprise for you!” Ivy said.
“What is it, Ivy?”
“Look,” Ivy showed her engagement ring.
“Is that… is it…” Tania said, as she was shocked. “KURT PROPOSED?!”
“Yes! We’re getting married!” Ivy hugged to her mother, as they started to cry.
Then the door opened, and Kurt entered to the room. Then they all hugged to each other. Six months ago, Kurt had offered to pay for everything. Even though Ivy refused, he had helped with every financial problem of Ivy, and her parents.
As Kurt became a successful lawyer in that past six years, he had money to look after Ivy, and her mother. He had helped with the treatment of Ivy’s mother.
“Are you guys sure? You’ve only known each for a few months,” Tania asked.
Ivy and Kurt hugged to each other, and they said, “Yeah, we’re sure. Anyway, life’s too short to wait for happiness.
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