I Never Thought That Getting Hit by a Car Would

Lucy once believed she had it all—a loving family, a secure life, a home filled with warmth and laughter. But everything changed after her divorce. It was James, her ex-husband, who painted a portrait of abandonment for their son Harry, turning the child against her in ways she never thought possible. He convinced Harry that she had chosen her own path, leaving them behind without a second thought. And so, Lucy was left utterly alone, her heart broken not just by the end of her marriage but by the chasm between her and her son.

No matter how many times Lucy tried to reach out, Harry refused to answer her calls or acknowledge her attempts at explanation. The silence felt suffocating. Each voicemail, each text, went unanswered, and as the days turned into weeks and months, she began to feel as though her life had no purpose anymore. She was adrift in an ocean of loneliness, the shoreline of her former happiness receding farther away each day.

Lucy had never imagined her life would take this turn. The woman who once organized family barbecues, made Harry’s favorite meals, and kept a home full of love had become a shadow of herself. Her identity was fractured—no longer the devoted wife, no longer the beloved mother. All she had left were fragments of the past, and even those seemed out of reach.

One afternoon, while working in the pristine, well-kept home of her employer, Miss Kinsley, Lucy found herself standing before a family photo on the mantle. The picture was one of pure happiness, the kind that seemed foreign to her now. Miss Kinsley’s smile radiated warmth, her family gathered around her, united in joy. Lucy stood frozen, staring at it, feeling the weight of her own losses.

The family in that photo seemed to have everything Lucy had once dreamed of. She blinked back tears as they began to well up in her eyes, the sorrow of her situation suddenly overwhelming her. She quickly wiped her face, trying to regain composure before Miss Kinsley entered the room. But it was too late—Miss Kinsley had already noticed the tears.

The older woman’s voice was soft but firm as she spoke, understanding and concern etched into her expression. “Lucy,” she said, placing a gentle hand on her shoulder. “I know things have been difficult for you. I see your struggles. And I want you to know that I appreciate all you’ve done here. But I need more than just someone to clean this house.” She paused, her words purposeful. “I need someone who can bring light and joy into this place.”

Miss Kinsley’s words weren’t harsh, but the weight of them hit Lucy hard. She hadn’t expected the dismissal, not when she had tried so hard to prove herself, to give her best each day. But now, standing in Miss Kinsley’s elegant home, Lucy realized just how far she had fallen from the vibrant woman she used to be. She was no longer the woman who brought joy to her home, to her son’s life, and now she was being asked to leave because she couldn’t even bring joy to herself.

Miss Kinsley’s eyes softened as she spoke the next words, and Lucy knew they weren’t said with malice. “I can see you’re hurting, and I can’t ask you to stay if you can’t find happiness in what you do. You deserve more than that, Lucy.”

The words felt like a blow, not because they were unkind but because they were so true. Lucy had lost so much—her marriage, her relationship with Harry, and now even her job. She had been so consumed with surviving the chaos of her life that she had forgotten how to live with any semblance of joy. In the silence of Miss Kinsley’s beautiful home, she was reminded of everything she had lost and everything she still needed to regain.

Despite the kindness in Miss Kinsley’s voice, Lucy felt the cracks in her life widen. She had nowhere to go, no one to turn to, and the emptiness that had taken root in her heart seemed to grow with every passing day. Yet, even as she gathered her belongings, preparing to leave Miss Kinsley’s home, a tiny voice in the back of her mind whispered that maybe this was a new beginning.

She didn’t know what that would look like yet. She didn’t know how to fix the broken relationship with Harry or how to find joy again in a world that had turned so cold. But as she stepped outside into the crisp air, she made a silent promise to herself. She would fight—fight to reclaim the joy she had lost, to rebuild the bridges that had burned. It would take time, but maybe, just maybe, she could find her way back to herself.