“Ah, look, someone is leaving the cafe smiling. Look at her blush!” said Diana’s boss as a wave of laughter erupted in the restaurant’s kitchen.
“We’ll be there, Diana. What time is the wedding?” a colleague asked as others crowded around Diana, who couldn’t help but blush.
“It’s at 11 o’clock this Sunday. I can’t wait to see you all at the church.”
The 60-year-old was a maintenance worker at the café. She had taken half a day off work to buy the most beautiful wedding suit for her only son, Arnold. She spent a long time shopping for the perfect blue suit. It was quite expensive, but she didn’t mind.
“My boy needs to look his best!” she thought.
Diana had spent all her savings to give him this gift, and she couldn’t wait to see his reaction when she surprised him at home.
“I can’t wait to see him get married!” thought Diana.
She had been looking forward to this moment ever since Arnold had told her about his plans to marry his girlfriend, Masha.
“Son, look what I got for you!” Diana burst into their home, suit in hand and a beaming smile on her face.
“I’m sure you’ll love this! Can you try it on? The salesman assured me I could exchange it if there was a problem with the fit.”
She pulled the suit out of the garment bag and showed it to Arnold. He frowned, because he was not happy.
“I’m not going to wear such an ordinary suit for my wedding. I’m marrying a rich man’s daughter and I need to look my best. I would look tacky in this cheap suit.”
Diana’s eyes began to fill with tears. She pretended to be okay, but her son’s words hurt her. She was disappointed, and her heart was heavy.
Her pain came to a head when Arnold told her this:
“One more thing… I don’t want you to come to my wedding. All the members of my fiancée’s rich family will be there. I don’t want you to be there with your dirty clothes and mess up my image. Everyone is going to ask me where you work, and I don’t want to have to tell them that you’re just a cleaning lady.”
Diana could not hold back her tears. She rushed to her room and cried there for the rest of the day, as she was deeply hurt. Arnold was too busy to visit her and left to make preparations for the wedding, which was to take place in two days.
The big day arrived, and that Sunday, despite her son’s prohibitions, Diana didn’t want to miss such a beautiful moment. She pulled herself together and checked her wardrobe, choosing the prettiest dress she had.
“You are too young to understand this mother’s wish and pain. I can’t afford to miss your big day, son. I’m coming,” she said aloud as she looked in the mirror.
Diana wrapped an old ceramic vase that she intended to give as a gift to her son. When she arrived at the church, she found that her colleagues and boss were already there. She was happy and, for a moment, forgot that Arnold had asked her not to attend his wedding.
“Good morning, Ms. Diana! I’m sure you’re the happiest mother on earth!” her boss commented.
Diana smiled and walked in with the heavy gift box. She watched as the bride and groom exchanged rings, then kissed. As much as she wanted to, Diana couldn’t stop her tears from flowing. She was thrilled.
“I did it!” she said.
After the wedding, a lavish reception was held. Several wealthy guests crowded the venue to greet the newlyweds. When Arnold saw his mother approaching them, he was shocked. He raised his eyebrows in disgust.
“Why did she come? I told her not to ruin my day!” he thought.
“Congratulations, darling! You both look wonderful! All the best!” said Diana as she handed the gift to her son.
Arnold looked around and realized they were surrounded by photographers. He didn’t want to make a scene, so he shyly took his mother’s gift. He tore the box open slightly and saw the vase inside.
“She gave me an old vase lying in the house? Is that all I deserve?” he gasped.
Arnold moved away to throw away his mother’s gift, which he considered “trash,” but was interrupted by her voice on the microphone.
He turned pale. He had no idea that a twenty-five year old secret she had kept from him would come out that day.
“Twenty-five years ago, a few minutes before my best friend died…,” Diana began, quickly looking up at the ceiling as tears welled up in her eyes.
“She gave me an old vase and told me to give it to her son on his wedding day. It was a gift from her late parents, and she wanted her son to have it.”
Arnold didn’t understand what his mother was saying.
“After she died, I adopted her son and raised him as my own. I never married because I wanted to devote all my time and love only to my child. Son, it’s time to go see what your late mother left you in that vase. Cheers!” Diana raised a glass to toast as Arnold, shocked, inspected the vase.
He was amazed. In the old ceramic vase were bundles of money. Tears welled up in his eyes and he fell to his knees.
Arnold realized that the woman he was ashamed of was not his biological mother, but the woman who sacrificed her life to raise him. She was more than a mother to him. She was his guardian angel who saved him after he was orphaned.
“I kept my promise to my late friend. I am happy for you, my son. Take care of yourself, and God bless you!” was how Diana ended her speech. She was heading for the exit door when Arnold ran after her to block her way.
“Mom, I’m sorry. Your love for me is priceless. I’m sorry I hurt you. I was never a good son, but you were always a good mother to me. Why didn’t you tell me I was an orphan? Please don’t leave me. I don’t want to be an orphan again.”
Diana hugged Arnold, and they returned to the stage, where the groom danced with his mother.
“I love you, Mom!” he whispered, and Diana smiled back as she cried with joy.
