Single Mom of 3 Finds Anonymous Date Invitation in Bag of Diapers — Story of the Day

Scarlett was a divorced single mother. She longed to find love again after her divorce, but all her attempts seemed to be in vain. Weirdly enough, all that changed after she found a Valentine's Day note in her baby's bag of diapers!

Scarlett was a loving single mother of three. Her husband left her after she fell pregnant with their third child to be with a woman he had been having an affair with.

After her divorce, Scarlett was left shattered and heartbroken. However, she had to stay strong for her children. For a while, she found solace in being the best mother she could be for her children.

She kept busy with work and raising her children. In addition to having a full-time job, she was proactive in all facets of the children's lives, heading up PTA meetings and never missing a single concert or game.

Scarlett was a wonderful, dedicated mother. However, her heart still yearned for love. While she loved her children deeply, the love she had for them could not fill her desire to once again have a little romance in her life.

It had been years since Scarlett's divorce. So, after finally taking the time to heal from her separation from her husband, Scarlett decided to give dating another shot.

Her first date was dinner with a man, Steve, from her work. He had been asking her out for a couple of months, but she always made excuses. She finally took him up on the offer. However, things did not go well.

"So, now that I've finally got you out of the office, tell me more about yourself," Steve said, sitting opposite Scarlett in the elegant restaurant.

The restaurant was a little over the top for Scarlett's liking, but she admired his effort. Scarlett looked amazing in a stylish white dress, while Steve wore a suit as he usually did.

"Uhm... I don't know. What would you like to learn? You already know where I work," Scarlett exclaimed with a chuckle.

"I'd love to learn everything about you," Steve remarked with a charming smile.

"Well, for starters, I'm a divorcee. So you'll have to forgive me if I'm a little rusty with all this," Scarlett said.

"You're doing just fine, Scarlett. I've been waiting a long time for this, so I'm ready for whatever. Do you have any children?" Steve asked.

"Yes, I do," Scarlett responded with a reminiscent smile.

"Oh, great. How many?" Steve asked as he took a sip of his wine.

"Three beautiful littl—" Scarlett started. However, before she could finish her sentence, Steve spewed out his drink all over Scarlett's dress at the sound of "three."

"Are you kidding me?! Real mature, Steve!" Scarlett snapped, getting up and leaving.

"I'm sorry! But, three?!" Steve retorted as she exited the restaurant.

Scarlett's next couple of attempts at dating went from bad to worse. Each person she met seemed to struggle to accept that she had three kids. She finally concluded that it was more trouble than it was worth.

On Valentines Day, Scarlett found herself at the shopping center buying groceries. While she had chosen to put dating aside, seeing all the loving couples around her was difficult.

Each moment felt like a constant reminder of what she had lost and would likely never experience again. Her recent dating experience had brought her to the point of romantic despair.

As she waited in the line at the till, she saw a couple around her age paying for groceries, including flowers and other Valentine's Day treats. They had children with them, around the same age as Scarlett's children.

She observed the way the man looked at his partner and children. As if she were the only person not only in the room but in the entirety of existence. "Will I ever experience this?" she asked herself.

She tried to keep her cool, but seeing what she had dearly hoped for being as evident as daylight but as distant as the moon broke her heart. "Why me? Everyone seems to have no problem finding love. Why can't I?" Scarlett thought.

As her emotions and thoughts began to erupt within her, she couldn't hold herself any longer. Before she knew it, tears were streaming down her flushed cheeks. She quickly wiped them away and continued as if nothing was wrong.

As if the day wasn't troubling enough, she finally got home to find her street blocked by her new neighbor Michael, and his sculptures. Michael had lost one eye in an accident. Scarlett didn't know what exactly had happened. How could she? They barely spoke outside of the normal neighborly pleasantries.

He was moving the sculptures into the house, and because of their size, they closed off the road to Scarlett's house. Michael introduced himself to her a week back when he moved in, but they did not know each other well.

"Oh, c'mon, Michael! Really?! You've blocked off the whole road!" Scarlett barked at her neighbor, Michael.

"Hi to you too, neighbor. Funny enough, I just saw you at the store," Michael said softly. Scarlett pulled up the handbrake and jumped out of her car.

"I'll be waiting for you at the Seventh Sky Cafe. Two days from now at 9 pm. From: Your Secret Admirer"

"Yeah, Michael! We live in the same neighborhood, so that shouldn't come as a surprise. What's all this? I don't have time for this!" Scarlett barked, approaching Michael.

"I'm sorry, Scarlett. I'll be out of your hair in your few. I just need to get these sculptures in the house," Michael explained apologetically.

"And how long is "a few"?" Scarlett retorted.

"It may be quicker than expected if you lend me a hand," Michael replied with a warm smile and puppy dog eyes.

"Agh! Okay!" Scarlett said, reluctantly rolling her eyes.

Scarlett helped Micheal with the last clay figure and finally entered her home.

Finally! Scarlett plopped onto her couch with a cup of tea and allowed herself to wallow in regrets of the past and daydreams of the future. An hour flew by before she remembered: I've got a ton of work to do!

She was humming a heartbreak song while unpacking her groceries, until something in one of the bags made her stop. Attached to the pack of diapers she had bought for her youngest child was a Valentine's day card. She opened the note, which simply read:

"I'll be waiting for you at the Seventh Sky Cafe. Two days from now at 9 pm. From: Your Secret Admirer."

Scarlett was completely taken aback. "How did this note get into her groceries? And who was this secret admirer?" Scarlett thought. And while she was baffled at the invitation, she couldn't help but be excited by the prospect.

While she had some questions, it was one of the most romantic gestures she'd come across in a while. Plus, it couldn't have come at a more convenient time.

The next day, she bought herself a new dress for the date. She was enthusiastic and excited to meet her secret admirer. Unfortunately, after calling a couple of friends who often babysit for her, she learned they were all unavailable on that day. Just my luck, she thought.

But Scarlett was determined to try and find out who this secret admirer was so she could hopefully reschedule their date. She decided to go back to where it all began.

Scarlett went to investigate at the grocery store. She went around asking the employees at the store if they were her secret admirer.

"No. Of course, I once liked you, but when I found out that you have children… It was a turn-off for me," one employee rather bluntly confessed.

"No, I have been married for almost 20 years, ma'am," another employee explained.

Nobody seemed to be the person Scarlett was looking for. As she continued on her pursuit, she noticed someone standing on the street across the road from the store. He had been there for a while, seemingly eying her every move.

Curious, Scarlett began to think that this mystery man may have an idea of who she was looking for. She stepped out of the store and walked towards the man. However, upon noticing Scarlett approaching, the man began to walk off in the opposite direction.

Scarlett, noting his bizarre behavior, began to run after him. "Hey! Did you send the note? Hey! I just want to talk!" Scarlett yelled as she continued to pursue the man. The man said nothing, continuing on his path.

By the time she reached the corner the man had turned to, he was nowhere to be seen. "What are you doing, Scarlett? Are you really that desperate? Chasing after random strangers?! Really?" Scarlett muttered to herself in frustration.

It soon dawned on Scarlett that even if that strange man was her secret admirer, that was the last person she would want to be involved with. She returned to her car and realized she didn't have her wallet. She searched her car and couldn't find anything.

Scarlett began to worry that she may have been part of some sort of scam. The more she thought about it, the more it seemed like this mysterious Valentine's Day secret admirer was just a ploy to scam a lonely woman out of her money.

She had no clue how the man could have accessed her car or known that she would be there that day after receiving the letter. But what she did know was she wasn't going to let the scammers get the best of her. If she still had a chance at retrieving what belonged to her, she was going to do exactly that.

It was the day of her date with her secret admirer, and even though she didn't have a babysitter, she was determined to get her stuff back. She decided she would go to the scheduled date with her children. She knew they would be safe because it was a known restaurant, but she had to get to the bottom of what was happening.

"I was just really anxious about whether or not you'd accept my invitation. When you finally spotted me, I don't know. I guess I panicked."

When she got there, she was shocked to see Michael sitting at a reserved table. He looked directly at Scarlett and her kids as they entered. A strikingly delighted gander overcame him as they approached him.

"Michael? What are you doing here?" Scarlett asked in awe.

"So, you did get my note? And you brought the kids," Michael exclaimed.

"Yeah, I had no choice. So, wait... You're the secret admirer?" Scarlett asked.

"Yes, I am. And I'm glad you brought them. Please," Michael replied, ushering the children and Scarlett to sit. However, Scarlett was not having any of it. She immediately gave her kids a look that communicated anything but taking a seat.

"Stay behind me, kids," Scarlett instructed her children. Then, fiercely turning back to Michael, she said, "That doesn't explain why you were outside the grocery store earlier. You left as I tried to pursue you. And then you stole my wallet!"

"Your wallet?" Michael asked, confused.

"Angie took your wallet, mommy. She almost threw it in the toilet, but I stopped her. I tried to tell you, but you didn't listen," Scarlett's oldest child explained, pointing to Scarlet's secondborn before pulling out her wallet from his pocket and handing it to Scarlett.

"Oh. Thank you, my love," Scarlett said to her son, rather embarrassed. "Okay, you can sit now, guys," she commanded her children, who enthusiastically took their seats.

"That still doesn't explain why you left like that," Scarlett said to Michael, still doubting his intentions.

"Well, I—I was passing by the grocery store, and I couldn't help but admire you. I didn't mean any harm. I was just really anxious about whether or not you'd accept my invitation. When you finally spotted me, I don't know. I guess I panicked," Michael confessed.

"You guys can go play," Scarlett said to her children, beckoning towards the children's play section in the restaurant. They instantly ran off, leaving Scarlett with her youngest child.

"Why did you arrange all this? Couldn't you just ask me out?" Scarlett asked in surprise, turning back to Michael. Michael blushed, trying to gather his words.

"Honestly, I never thought you'd give me the time of day. I mean, I have one eye. I'm not exactly anybody's first pick. But today, I hoped to get the chance to show you myself in another light. From the first time I saw you... I don't know. I guess I just had to get to know you," Michael explained.

Scarlett still wasn't fully convinced she could trust Michael, but she had to admit he looked rather dashing that day. This was the first time she'd seen him like this. He was in a fitted tuxedo with a beautiful bouquet waiting just for Scarlett. The man cleaned up pretty well. But the whole thing still felt a little off.

"Waking up to the sound of you and your children was an unexpected blessing."

"So, how did it happen? Your eye, that is," Scarlett asked cautiously.

"Uhm... Well..." Michael started, emotionally trying to gather his words. "I lost my daughter some years back. A dog attacked her, and I lost my eye trying to save her. Un—Unfortunately, I wasn't able to save her. My wife resented me for it and eventually left me. It still keeps me up late at night till today," Michael somberly explained.

Scarlett didn't know what to say. She had often overlooked this man, never understanding what depths of his life story. As he continued to speak, she began to see Michael in a new light.

"I could never forgive myself. So, after my ex-wife left me, I sold my business, bought a house here, and started pursuing my passion, sculpting. My daughter, Liah, loved my sculptures," Michael continued with a sigh.

"She'd always tag along when I went to the basement to sculpt. It always brought me peace, and I think she knew that. So now, that's what I spend my time doing. Makes me feel like I'm still with her, you know?!" Michael continued, fighting back his tears.

"Things weren't easy. But I pushed through. I moved here, and finally, things seemed a little better. Waking up to the sound of you and your children was an unexpected blessing. I guess that's where my little crush sprouted from," Michael confessed.

"Well, I can't say I'm not flattered, Michael. And, wow. That's quite a story," Scarlett exclaimed just as the children returned.

"Yes, I suppose. We all have one," Michael said earnestly. Then, turning to the children, he said buoyantly, "Now, who'd like some ice cream?"

The children all yelled in approval. They all shared a cheerful dinner that night. Michael was amazing with the children, and Scarlett genuinely enjoyed his company.

After that day, Scarlett and Michael saw more of each other. She was initially confused and wary of Michael, despite how well he cared for both Scarlett and her kids.

However, one day all that changed. Michael invited Scarlett to his underground studio and showed her something that would change their lives forever.

As she walked into his studio, her heart skipped a beat. Among Michael's many sculptures, a sculpture of Scarlett with her children stood in the center — the heart of the room.

It was the most beautiful thing Scarlett had seen in a long time and probably the most thoughtful gesture she had ever experienced. This was the moment Michael had finally won her heart. She burst into tears and gave him the tightest hug. At that moment, she truly felt as if she had found what she had longed for all this time.

After that day, they became a happy, loving couple. Michael was grateful to have a family again, and Scarlett had finally found love.

What can we take from this story?

• Don't give up on love. After many failed attempts, Scarlett was ready to throw in the towel. However, her dream of finding love finally came to fruition.
• Love can find you in ways you could have never predicted. Scarlett never imagined she'd fall for her one-eyed neighbor. She was searching for a romantic companion, not knowing the man of her dreams was just next door the whole time.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a woman who helped her single neighbor who had just had a baby, only to find her own husband's photo in her bedroom.

This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only. Share your story with us; maybe it will change someone's life. If you would like to share your story, please send it to info@amomama.com.