It started as one of those awful days that just kept getting heavier by the hour.
My brother and I ended up at the Wendy’s near the highway, sitting in a booth, trying to act normal while our phones stubbornly stayed silent. We hadn’t heard from Mom in hours, and every worst-case scenario was running nonstop through my mind.
That’s when an officer noticed us.
He wasn’t even on duty—just grabbing a burger like everyone else. But when he saw us—two scared kids picking at cold fries—he knew something wasn’t right.
Without making a big deal, he quietly asked if we were okay.
I guess my face said enough.
He nodded once, then said, “Would you like to pray with me?”
Right there in the middle of the busy restaurant, with trays clattering and soda machines hissing, the three of us bowed our heads. His prayer wasn’t fancy—just a simple ask for protection, peace, and strength we didn’t even know we had.
It didn’t fix everything.
But somehow… it made everything feel a little less scary.
Just as we lifted our heads, my brother’s phone finally buzzed on the table.
One single text from a number we didn’t recognize:
“Stay where you are. I’m coming.”
My heart raced faster than ever. Who could this be? Was it Mom? Had someone found her? The message gave no clues—only urgency. Eli, my younger brother, stared at his screen like it might explode. His eyes met mine, wide and uncertain.
“What do we do?” he whispered.
“We wait,” I said, though I wasn’t sure why I sounded so calm. Maybe it was the prayer—a quiet hope that maybe things weren’t completely out of control.
Officer Ray—that’s what he’d introduced himself as before praying—must have seen the tension return to our faces. Without asking, he slid back into the booth across from us.
“Something happen?” he asked gently.
Eli showed him the text. Officer Ray frowned, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. “Let’s not jump to conclusions,” he said. “Could be your mom or someone helping her. Could also be unrelated. Either way, staying put is probably smart.”
We nodded, but sitting still felt impossible. Minutes stretched on like hours.
Then, about twenty minutes later, a beat-up sedan pulled into the parking lot. A woman stepped out, glancing nervously around before spotting us. She hesitated, then walked inside.
She looked exhausted—hair tied back messily, clothes wrinkled—but when she saw us, relief washed over her face.
“Are you Mia and Eli?” she asked softly.
“Yes,” I said, standing quickly. “Who are you? Where’s our mom?”
Her smile faltered. “I’m Sarah. Your mom… she got into an accident earlier today. She hit a patch of ice on the highway and went off the road. She’s okay—just shaken up—but they couldn’t reach you because her phone broke in the crash. She asked me to find you.”
Eli let out a shaky breath and collapsed back into the booth. My knees went weak, but I stayed upright.
“Why didn’t anyone call us sooner?” I demanded, anger bubbling now that I knew Mom was alive.
“They tried,” Sarah said. “Emergency services reached out to family contacts, but your numbers weren’t listed correctly. When they couldn’t get hold of anyone, your mom remembered she’d said she’d meet you here. So she sent me.”Family vacation packages
Officer Ray stood quietly, listening. When Sarah finished, he cleared his throat. “Do you have ID, ma’am? Just protocol.”
She nodded, handing over her driver’s license. He studied it carefully, then returned it. “Alright. Let’s get these kids home.”
On the way to the hospital, Sarah told us more. Mom had been running late because she stopped to help a stranded driver. On her way back, she lost control on a slick spot and ended up in a ditch. Thankfully, a passing trucker saw her and called for help right away.
“Your mom wouldn’t stop talking about how worried she was that you two were waiting for her,” Sarah said, glancing in the rearview mirror. “Even while they were checking her over, she kept asking if anyone had found you.”
A lump formed in my throat. Despite everything, Mom had been thinking of us. I felt guilty for assuming the worst—that she’d forgotten or abandoned us.Prenatal classes