After Brother’s Death, Woman Helps His Widow and Forgets about Her Own Family – Story of the Day

When Savannah's brother died, leaving behind his wife, Julie, and three children, she decided to help them with money, babysitting, and their other needs, neglecting her own husband and children in the process. But she didn't care until one night when she returned home and her house was in ruins.

"Don’t worry, Julie. I will be there for you every step of the way. You'll never be alone," Savannah promised her brother's widow, Julie, at the funeral.

That was four months ago, and she had kept her promise thoroughly. She had dedicated almost every second she was not at work to Julie and her kids. She babysat them as much as possible and gave them money to make them happy.

For some odd reason, Savannah felt responsible for them. Her brother's death had been devastating for everyone, and she didn't want his family to suffer.

However, her actions had several consequences. She was often terribly tired, and her own home was suffering, She often neglected her husband, Charles, and their two children. The worst part is that they couldn't do anything about it.

Suddenly, she saw red and blue lights reflected in her windows and wondered what was going on. However, the noise became louder the closer she got to her house.

One night, Charles was waiting for her when she arrived at midnight after spending hours at Julie's house. "What are you doing, Savannah? Our kids haven't seen you in a while. You come home late and leave early in the morning. It's been months! This has to stop," he snarled.

"But Charles, I can't stop! They need me!"

"Your family needs you!"

"They're my family too!"

"But your own kids miss you! Every night, they ask to see you! What am I supposed to tell them?" Charles challenged, running his hands through his hair. Sweat dripped from his forehead as he paced through the living room, trying to get his wife to understand.

But Savannah shook her head at him. "I can't believe you're trying to guilt me with this. Our children are fine. They have both parents present. But my brother's kids need their aunt, and Julie is a mess."

"No, she's not! Julie's taking advantage of you!" Charles whined, his hands linked together in a begging gesture.

"That's enough Charles! I'm going to sleep!" Savannah stomped to her room, slammed the door, and Charles plopped down on the couch, still frustrated. She wasn't listening, and her priorities were elsewhere.

But Charles knew that Julie did not need Savannah that much. Savannah's brother had a life insurance policy, so they didn't need her money. Moreover, Julie would often be out having fun while Savannah babysat her kids. Perhaps, those children loved having their aunt around, but now, his kids were suffering, which wasn't fair.

Sadly, he didn't know how to make his wife see the truth, and that night, he slept on the couch, not wanting to see her or deal with her anymore.

***

Several days passed since that fight with Charles, and Savannah was still angry at him. Why couldn't he understand that her nephews and niece need her? That Julie was not coping well and needed a break too?

She was thinking about this on the way to her house in Pasadena, California, which was not far away from Julie's home. It was a clear and quiet night as she drove through the suburban area, and it was still relatively early. She missed her kids and hoped they were still up. Maybe they could all watch a movie together, which would appease her husband.

But the silence of the night was interrupted by the wailing noise of sirens in the distance. Suddenly, she saw red and blue lights reflected in her windows and wondered what was going on. However, the noise became louder the closer she got to her house, and as she turned a corner, she saw a fire truck and an ambulance on her street.

A fireman was holding a big hose and pointing it towards… her house. Her eyes widened in shock, and the brakes of her car squealed as she stopped rapidly and got out.

"Ma'am, you need to stay back—"

"That's my house!" Savannah yelled, terror in her eyes as she rushed to her house.

She kept going, but the vision of her home in complete ruins stopped her in her tracks. There was a hint of the fire still going, and they were trying to extinguish it. But the rest of her beautiful home was just black dust, and the acrid odor of fire and smoked wood surrounded her.

"Savannah," someone called from the corner, and she turned to see her husband with their kids standing off the side. Someone had wrapped blankets around them, and Charles had soot covering his cheeks.

She ran to them, hugging her husband tightly and kneeling to her kids. "Is everyone alright?" she asked frantically, touching their faces and kissing them repeatedly.

"We're alright," Charles answered, and their kids nodded.

"What happened?" She stood up and looked directly at her husband.

"I plugged the blender and suddenly, sparks flew. They caught on the kitchen curtains, and it just spread like crazy. It was unbelievable. But I just ran to the kids and got them out instead of trying to put it off," Charles said, his face pale in shame.

Savannah embraced him once again. "Don't worry. Don't worry. You did the right thing. All that matters is that you're all alright. The house doesn't matter," she chanted and brought her children closer so they all could be together.

After a few more minutes, the firefighters told them they'd put off the fire and suggested they go somewhere else to stay. Naturally, Savannah called Julie, asking for refuge. But she never imagined her sister-in-law's reply.

"I'm sorry, Savannah. We just don't have the space," she replied, even after hearing that they were literally homeless. Savannah knew it was a lie because her brother's house was huge.

"But Julie, we don't have anywhere else to go," Savannah said, confusion coloring her tone.

"I'm sorry. Listen, it's late. I have to go," Julie rushed and hung up.

Savannah pulled her phone away and looked at Charles, her jaw hanging.

"So, she said no, right?" Charles quipped, and she could only nod.

Luckily, their neighbors offered them shelter and food for the night, and they couldn't have been more grateful. A few days later, they found an apartment to rent.

Julie never called to check on them once. She simply didn't care, and while Savannah was confused, Charles knew this would happen.

After that incident, Savannah realized not everyone had the same heart as hers and not everyone would be willing to give as much as they receive. She vowed to put her own family above anyone else's.

What can we learn from this story?

• Don't sacrifice your life for someone who wouldn't do the same. Savannah gave everything to Julie and her family. But in her time of need, Julie didn't want to help her. It's a harsh lesson but an important one to learn.
• There are many ungrateful people among families. Learn to watch out for them. Savannah failed to see how one-sided her relationship was with Julie until a terrible fire tested it.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a widow who discovered that her late husband was married to someone else.

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