A Normal Afternoon Interrupted

It was a typical afternoon at work—just me, my computer, and a long list of emails—when my phone buzzed. A doorbell notification popped up. Expecting a routine delivery, I opened the app.

But what I saw made me stop in my tracks. A man stood at my doorstep, smiling into the camera.

“Enjoy your surprise, Mrs. Thompson,” he said warmly.
“Can’t wait for you to see what’s inside.”

Confusion and Curiosity

My stomach fluttered with confusion. I wasn’t married. My name definitely wasn’t Mrs. Thompson. Yet curiosity pulled me in.

I followed the trail all the way home. There it was—a small, unmarked box sitting on my doorstep, just as he had promised. I hesitated before bringing it inside.

The Mystery Box

Inside the plain wrapping, I found a neatly folded letter and a small wooden box. The lid was smooth and aged. The letter’s elegant cursive looked like it belonged to another era.

I opened the box—and froze.

Inside lay a vintage locket and an old photograph. The photo showed a smiling woman holding a little girl—a girl who looked exactly like me as a child.