I Took in a Homeless Girl During a Storm, Then She Handed Me a Locket I Thought I’d Lost Forever — Story of the Day

A storm battered my isolated farmhouse, where I lived alone with my dog, Lucky. That night, he fixated on the door, ignoring the howling wind and rain. I followed him outside, barefoot, to a bus stop where a shivering girl, about fourteen, sat soaked and trembling. Her name was Anna. I brought her inside, gave her dry clothes and honey tea. She seemed worn, not fragile, clutching the mug like it was precious. She said she was homeless, waiting for a bus with nowhere to go.

In her wet jacket, I found a locket—gold, worn, with photos of me and my husband, Tom, who vanished with our daughter, Emily, twelve years ago. Heart pounding, I confronted Anna. She admitted it was her dad’s, saying he’d sent her to find me. Her father was Tom. Then, she said, “He told me you were my mom.” She was Emily.

Tears fell as I held her, my lost daughter. She explained Tom left for another woman, who later abandoned him. They lived on the streets; he got sick, died, but made her promise to find me. Despite everything, Emily found her way home.