Julia Anthony had long served in the Gregory household — William and Lydia. Today, the owners had gone somewhere, and the maid, having finished all her chores around the house, sat down to rest by the window. Suddenly, her attention was drawn to a little boy on the street. Skinny and clad in tattered clothes, he was wandering along the fence of their property.
«Perhaps he’s hungry,» sighed Julia Anthony, feeling pity for the unfortunate child. Glancing at the huge clock in the living room, she decided that the couple wouldn’t return anytime soon and stepped out into the yard.
“What’s your name?” she asked softly, addressing the boy who was attentively watching the street. “Johnny,” he replied, casting a cautious look at her from beneath his disheveled bangs. “Well then, Johnny, come with me. I’ll feed you some fresh apple pie,” the woman offered, and the boy, without hesitation, followed her. His stomach had been rumbling from hunger for a long time; he hadn’t eaten anything that day.
In the kitchen, Julia Anthony carefully cut an impressive slice of pie with a knife and placed a plate in front of the hungry little one.
“Oh, it’s so delicious!” Johnny exclaimed, greedily biting into the soft pastry. “My mother used to bake a pie just like this once!” “And where is your mother?” the woman asked cautiously. The boy froze, stopped chewing, and sadly lowered his eyes. “I’ve been looking for her for a long time… She disappeared,” he murmured softly. “Eat, eat,” Julia Anthony gently encouraged him. “You’ll find your mother, I’m sure you will.”
At that moment, the front door creaked, and William and Lydia entered the house. The maid flinched upon hearing the footsteps.
“And who do we have here as a guest?” William asked in surprise as he peered into the kitchen. His eyes widened when he saw the boy. “Who did you bring in, Julia?” he said sternly to the maid. “This child is looking for his mother; he’s hungry, and I decided to feed him,” the woman replied calmly, shrugging her shoulders.
“So now you’re feeding every stray? And our opinion no longer matters to you?” the master of the house protested.
Hearing these words, Johnny began to cry. “I’m going to leave now,” he mumbled, putting the half-eaten piece of pie back on the plate.
Then Lydia intervened: “Wait, boy,” she said softly. “Tell me, where are you from? Where did you lose your mother?”
Lydia had always been gentler than her husband. Sometimes, William would scold her for being overly kind, but he had never succeeded in changing her nature.
“I live with my grandfather, but he’s mean. He’s always scolding me for something, and sometimes, he even hits me. I ran away from him,” Johnny confessed and pulled from the pocket of his old, tattered pants a yellowed photograph.
“These are my parents. We used to live together,” said the boy, wiping away his tears, and he handed the photo to the homeowners.
Lydia, taking the photo in her hands, froze. In the photograph was her daughter, Valerie! “Look, Will, it’s our girl!” she exclaimed, trembling as she passed the photo to her husband.
William reluctantly took the photograph. “Johnny, how did you come by this photo?” he asked in surprise.
“I stole it from my grandfather. On the other side is an address, so I came here. I thought maybe my mother lives here,” the boy answered as he calmed down. “Grandpa always says that my mother is like a cuckoo who abandoned me. But I don’t believe him!”
“It can’t be! It can’t be!” Lydia repeated, recalling how their daughter Valerie had once run away with a Gypsy named Marcus. For several years, they hadn’t heard from her, and then she returned, only to be involved in an accident soon after. That day became a nightmare for them, after which they were left completely alone in these huge mansions.
“And where is your father?” William asked. “And my father is gone. He was buried six months ago,” Johnny cried once more.
The couple was stunned. They had found a grandson! Tired of loneliness, they decided to keep the boy with them.
“You know, little one, we’ll take you to your room,” said Lydia. “And will my mother come?” asked Johnny. “Your mother is now with your father,” the woman replied sadly.
Johnny paled.
After a while, the couple finalized the adoption documents. The boy’s grandfather did not object upon learning that his grandson could be taken in by affluent people.
Julia Anthony was delighted. Thanks to that day when she met the little one, the homeowners became happy. In time, Johnny was no longer the destitute, hungry stray. Instead, he became a well-dressed boy, aware of proper manners, with a loving family.
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