My Daughter Wouldn’t Speak to Me for Years, Until I Found the Birthday Card She Never Sent — Story of the Day
On my 47th birthday, I set the table for three, leaving an empty chair for my daughter, Karen, who hadn’t spoken to me in two years. The silence from her felt like grief, and though I set her place with hope, the pain lingered. Brad, my husband, lit the candles on my cake, but my eyes stayed on Karen’s empty chair. I called her, got no answer, and broke down, longing to hold her again.
That night, I found an old photo album with Karen’s baby pictures, stirring memories of her trust in me. I’d left her father, Nigel, without explaining why, thinking I was protecting her. Instead, I lost her trust, and silence grew between us.
The next day, I confronted Nigel. He revealed Karen had moved to Canada with her boyfriend and handed me a birthday card she’d left for me a year ago, which he forgot to deliver. Furious, I read her note: she’d been angry but missed me, pressured by Nigel to cut contact. She included her address, hoping I’d visit.
I flew to Ontario, heart pounding. At her townhouse, Karen opened the door before I knocked. We embraced, her warmth erasing years of hurt. No words were needed—just love.
