I Saved A Homeless Man And A Child During A Blizzard. Then He Pointed At My Sister’s Photo And Started Sobbing. What Should I Do?

The Diligent Milkmaid

Kimberly had been working as a milkmaid for five years. She was working on Mr. Mitchell’s Farm, who used to know her mother. The young woman was a diligent worker and never disappointed the old farmer. Overall, she liked working there.

“I probably wouldn’t have survived a single day in a stuffy office, but here: fresh air, peace, and quiet,” Kimberly thought.

But her sister, Darcy, didn’t share Kimberly’s views. She moved to another state eight years ago, leaving North Dakota behind forever. The naive small-town woman dreamed of changing her life for the better, and like many self-confident young people, she refused to listen to her mother or young sister.

Unfortunately, the reality turned out to be much harsher than the woman expected. Having plunged headlong into the life of the Metropolis, Darcy rarely talked to her relatives, and eventually, she stopped calling them altogether. On the advice of her mother, Kimberly tried to find her sister, but she failed.

The police didn’t take the young milkmaid’s request seriously either and didn’t seem to be in a hurry to search for her sister. Two years ago, Kimberly’s mother died, leaving the young milkmaid all alone in this world. She couldn’t force herself to leave a parental home and go to the unknown like her sister did; instead, she settled down in her hometown and continued to work on the farm.

A Bitter Winter and a Stranger

Winter started very early that year. First came the snow, which covered the ground with an even layer of white, and after that, a severe frost hit. Glancing out the window, Kimberly watched the wind blowing across the snow-covered plain, kicking up clouds of snow dust. Since she had a day off, the woman intended to spend it at home, warming herself by the fireplace and listening to her favorite music.

Kimberly was about to close the curtain when she saw a strange black dot in the distance, slowly approaching from the side of the road.

“Is it a car? I doubt it. Looks more like a person, but who would go outside in this weather?” the woman thought anxiously.

Meanwhile, the black dot had taken shape, and Kimberly could clearly see that it really was a person fighting the wind. The man stubbornly continued to walk down the street, clutching a bundle to his chest. Kimberly leaned against the window and continued to watch the stranger.

The Rescue

As the man came closer, the young milkmaid gasped. The man carried a boy of about five years who apparently was exhausted and couldn’t walk anymore. Moreover, the man didn’t look all that well either; his patched-up clothes and worn boots made it obvious that he was either homeless or simply very poor.

Kimberly’s heart started beating anxiously. She threw a jacket over her shoulders and ran out of the house.

“Hey, Mister! What’s your name? Come inside and warm up a bit. I’ll make you some tea,” the woman said loudly, waving her hand invitingly.

The stranger looked into her eyes and nodded warily. It was obvious that he was very tired and could hardly stand on his feet. He clearly had to go through a lot lately. Kimberly let the stranger into the house and helped him undress. As it turned out, the boy was sleeping, so when he woke up, he didn’t immediately understand where he was.

“Don’t worry, baby, everything will be fine,” Kimberly whispered and went into the kitchen.

A Ghost from the Past

Soon all three of them were already sitting at the table, sipping tea and looking at each other. Realizing that the woman who sheltered him was waiting to hear his story, the stranger began.

“My name is Michael, and this is Bobby, my son. We have come a long way. We hitchhiked for several hours in a row, and then we got into a snowfall and the driver refused to go any further,” the man explained.

“I guess he wanted to get to North Dakota real bad, but you chose the worst time for your trip. Our winters are harsh, but it’s pretty nice here during the summer,” Kimberly noted with a smile.

Michael looked the woman in the eyes and smiled gratefully. Deciding that the travelers needed to rest, Kimberly made a bed for them in her missing sister’s room.

“Thank you. I am beyond grateful to you. If it weren’t for you, Bobby and I would be freezing outside right now,” Michael said.

“No thanks, Nita. You can stay in my house for as long as you need,” Kimberly answered without hesitation.

First, Michael put his son to bed. Then he sat down in a chair and intended to sleep there for a little bit. The night seemed to fly by. Out of habit, the man woke up with the first rays of sunlight. Suddenly, the man noticed an old photograph hanging on the wall. It pictured a young woman in a cheerleading uniform of the local football team standing in front of the stadium.

Michael winced and recoiled instinctively.

“No, that’s impossible,” the man whispered, clasping his head with his hands, and sank wearily into a chair.

The Heartbreaking Truth

At that moment, Kimberly came into the room and touched his shoulder gently, asking what happened.

“Are you feeling all right?”

Michael looked at her with eyes full of tears and then looked at the photograph hanging on the wall.

“Oh, this is my sister, Darcy. I haven’t seen her in a long time. She moved to another state,” Kimberly answered, catching the guest’s gaze.

Michael turned even paler and let out a rueful sigh. Then he looked at the woman and whispered, “You will never see her again. Darcy is dead.”

Kimberly was so surprised that she couldn’t utter a single word. She just stood there and couldn’t believe what she’d just heard.

“What do you mean? Dad, how are you absolutely sure?” the woman exclaimed, causing Bobby, who was still sleeping, to shudder and roll over to the other side.