Sick To His Stomach
Seeing the 9-year-old boy's handwritten note on his table completely floored Officer John Steward.
Unless it was a boy with a different story, it wouldn't bother him so much. Nevertheless, he felt sick to his stomach because he was personally involved in the situation. What could possibly have caused things to go so far?
What’s Important
The Florida State Police Department employed Officer Steward as a deputy. Even though he loved his job, there was one lesson he had learned from life.
His daily routine included a stop whenever he was on his way to work, so he could enjoy the little things in life.
His Favorite Place
Visiting his local coffee shop before work was a favorite activity for Officer Steward. He did it every day as a way of getting some peace and quiet before starting the day.
Over the last ten years, he had done it without taking a break. He would cherish one particular visit to the shop for the rest of his life.
A Good Meal
Two things crossed the officer's mind every time he stopped at the shop or passed by. Bagels were the store's specialty, and the breakfast bagel was his favorite.
He loved their coffee and was delighted that it was made exactly the way he liked it. He went back to it day in and day out because he liked it so much.
He Enjoyed It
In order to be able to enjoy the great food and amazing atmosphere, he often left his house over an hour early.
He treasured it above all else, especially since he was all alone. All he could ask for was for it to make his days better.
Getting Through The Day
He was able to push through the hard days because of the peace he got in the mornings. He had seen a lot in his life, and there were times when he needed something to escape from. It was over.
Nevertheless, he felt worse that day than he ever had, all because of a 9-year-old boy.
Not Feeling Good
Upon waking up that morning, Officer Steward felt strange. His mouth tasted foul, and his stomach felt like it had a stone in it.
His gut was telling him what was coming next, but he thought it was just a little illness at first.
A Gut Feeling
The officer's feelings were becoming worse with every passing minute. Immediately, he realized that the feeling was one of dread.
The day would bring something terrible. There was a sense of it. Despite not having it often, he had felt it before.
Moving Forward
Steward couldn't just ignore his entire day because he had a strange feeling, so he decided to investigate the situation.
Then he would go about his day as he usually did, and he would see what happened. There is a possibility that he was just being paranoid. He should have known what he was getting into.
Going About His Day
His routine was the same as it always was for Officer Steward. The morning started with a coffee and bagel at the local coffee shop.
In the midst of sipping his cappuccino, he realized he had entered a situation his gut had warned him about.
Something Caught His Eye
Officer Steward had just taken a bite of his bagel when something caught his attention. Two people had walked into the shop, and they had taken a seat a few tables from where he was sitting.
He didn’t know why they caught his attention, but for some odd, unexplainable reason, he was fascinated by them.
Mother And Son
The people that had the officer’s attention were nothing special. It was just a mother and her young son.
It looked like they had come in for breakfast, just as the officer had. But after years of hardcore training, the need to investigate the situation was drilled into him. There was something about them that just didn’t seem right.
He Watched Them For A While
Since the officer still had time on his hands, he decided to observe the pair for a little while. He took in everything, from the way they were dressed to the food that they had ordered.
And he picked up on a few subtle hints. The mother had a coffee but no food. The boy, on the other hand, got everything he had asked for. And that was what got the officer thinking.
The Boy Looked Happy
The boy seemed pleased. He was talking up a storm while shoving pancakes down his throat. He was so talkative that any outsider would think he hadn’t seen his mom in ages.
But something told Officer Steward that that wasn’t actually the case. If he didn’t know any better, he would say that the boy was just trying to break the silence.
His Mother Looked Concerned
From the look on the mother’s face, Officer Steward could tell that she was stressed out. Each time the boy ordered something, her brows furrowed, and a flicker of concern passed over her eyes.
She was clearly calculating everything that would be added to the bill. But why would she take her son out if she was concerned about the prices?
Something About Her
That wasn’t all Officer Steward picked up on, though. There was something about the mother that caught and kept his attention.
At that point, he was unsure of what that might’ve been, but the more he looked at her, the more that sense settled. Did he know her from somewhere? Have they met before? At his age, he couldn’t be sure.
A Sense Of Familiarity
But he was sure of one thing. There was a sense of familiarity about the woman. It was as if he had, in fact, seen her before.
However, she was a very unique woman, and he was sure he would remember some of her more prominent features, like her bright red curls. Yet, he couldn’t place her.
He Couldn’t Pinpoint It
The fact that he couldn’t pinpoint where he knew her from was driving the officer mad. He was well-known in the local community, and he wouldn’t want to ignore someone he had been in contact with before.
But he had no idea whether or not he actually had contact with this woman before. Had he been called out to her house?
Trying To Focus
Officer Steward tried to focus on the woman and her features. He needed something, anything to remind him of where he had seen her.
Did they pass each other in the supermarket? Were they living on the same street? Had he seen her in the shop during one of his previous visits? There were just too many possibilities.
They Kept His Attention
Because of that, the pair had his attention for his entire visit. Even as he ate his bagel and drank his coffee, his eyes were firmly fixed on them.
But his time was running out. The hour had flown by, and he had less than ten minutes to get on his way. And he still didn’t have the answers he was looking for.
Time To Leave
Officer Steward waited until the last possible moment before getting his bill. But he couldn’t wait any longer. He had pushed this trip to its limits, and he couldn’t waste any more time.
With that, the officer paid and got up to leave. But the sweet voice of an excited child stopped him dead in his tracks.
The Little Boy
“Hello, officer,” the little boy who had his attention during his entire visit said. The officer spun around and saw a set of sad brown eyes looking up at him.
“Hello, son,” Officer Steward said as he ruffled the little boy’s hair. “How can I be of assistance?” The boy shrugged and pushed into the bench at the table where the officer was sitting.
A Brief Chat
Even though he knew he didn’t have time for this, the officer took a seat opposite the boy, and the two of them started chatting.
There was nothing special about the conversation. It seemed like a little boy with a fascination for the field, and the officer was happy to fill his mind with information. But the boy had an ulterior motive, and the officer would only discover it once it was too late.
When He Left
What the officer didn’t see was that the little boy had placed a note on the table while they were chatting. Officer Steward was far too busy sharing his stories to pick up on the kid’s hand gestures.
But once the boy left, he saw the envelope lying on the table. What did it contain?
He Almost Missed It
Officer Steward looked down at the beige envelope with the word “Officer” written across it, and he was stunned.
If checking his table before leaving wasn’t a habit he had built over the years, he never would’ve seen it. But luckily, he did, and now he could find out what it contained. Was he ready for that?
Sitting Down Again
The officer sat back down again so he could read the note. For some odd reason, he felt like the world was about to come crashing down around him.
His palms were sweaty. His heart was beating in his throat, and a bead of sweat had formed on his brow. Why was he feeling like that? Was it his gut trying to give him another warning?
Just One Moment
When his usual waitress saw that the officer was still there, she reminded him that he needed to leave. But the officer was so focused on the note that he barely paid any attention to her.
All he needed was a moment. Just one moment to see what the little boy was trying to tell him. What if the kid was in trouble? He couldn’t just leave without finding out what was going on.
He Couldn’t Believe It
With that, the officer ripped the envelope open and pulled out the handwritten note the boy had left him. At first, it meant nothing to him, but the more he read, the more he began to understand what was actually going on.
The boy wasn’t in any trouble. But his mother was, and he was trying his best to help her.
A Sad Story
The note stated that the boy and his mother would frequent the coffee shop once a month. It was their way of getting closer. But that month, they were facing some difficulties.
His mother had been pulled over by the police a few days prior, and even though she explained that it was an emergency and that her son had been hospitalized, they still fined her.
They Were Gone
They couldn’t afford to pay for the breakfast and the fine, so his mother ended up not eating. But the boy hated seeing her so unhappy, so he put all the money he saved up into the envelope to pay the fine.
That was when the officer remembered who she was. He was the one who fined her. He looked up, hoping to clarify the situation, but the pair had already left.
Frantic Search
Officer Steward's heart sank as he realized that the woman and her son had left the coffee shop. He quickly got up from his seat, leaving the envelope and note behind, and rushed out onto the street.
Frantically, he scanned the surroundings, hoping to catch a glimpse of them. He asked people passing by if they had seen a woman with bright red curls and a young boy, but no one seemed to have noticed them.
He Felt Bad
Officer Steward could’ve kicked himself for not even looking up once as he read the letter. But he was so absorbed and moved by it that he thought they would still be there so that he could help them.
He needed to find them. He felt bad for what had transpired, and he had no idea the situation the woman had been in.
Regret and Determination
The officer felt a deep sense of regret for not recognizing the woman earlier. He blamed himself for causing her distress and not being more compassionate.
Determined to make things right, he hurried back to his patrol car and radioed his colleagues, informing them about the situation and requesting their help in locating the woman and her son.
Not Easy
This was the only way that he was going to locate them. He needed to do some thorough detective work, and it would not be easy.
There was no way of knowing which way they went or if they had come by car, foot, or by bus. Office Steward had his work cut out for him, but he wasn’t going to stop until he found them.
Running Out Of Options
As the days turned to weeks, Officer Steward was having a hard time locating the woman and her son. He even waited an extra hour at the coffee shop every day to see if they would make an appearance there again.
But it was fruitless. They never showed up, and Officer Steward was running out of options.
Everyone Helped
But he knew he couldn’t do it by himself. He roped in many officers in his department, and they all helped where they could.
But since it wasn’t a serious case, Officer Steward and his colleagues couldn’t spend all their time on just this one case. By now, Officer Steward was getting very frustrated.
Determined
But he knew he had to follow the trail before it went completely cold. He remembered working on a previous case where he waited too long, and the trail went cold.
They ended up losing the person they were looking for, and it was a pain having to go through everything that they had missed. So he was more determined than ever.
Following the Trail
With the assistance of his fellow officers, Officer Steward obtained surveillance footage from nearby stores and gas stations to track the woman's car.
From what they could pull up from the records, they were looking for a silver 2016 Toyota Camry. It made it a bit easier now that they knew what they were looking for.
Hours Of Footage
They went through hours of surveillance footage, meticulously analyzing everything and focusing on vehicles matching the description.
It would be a long and arduous process, but Officer Steward was prepared to put in many hours to find the elusive mother and son. He believed he owed it to them. He would never forgive himself if he never found them.
In Full Pursuit
After hours of investigation, they finally spotted a car that matched the description leaving a nearby gas station. Officer Steward's heart raced with anticipation.
He and another officer immediately jumped in his cruiser and followed the coordinates in pursuit of the car. There was too much at stake, and he was not going to lose sight of them again.
Into the Night
The pursuit led them out of the city and into a desolate rural area. It was dark, and the winding roads seemed to stretch endlessly into the night.
Officer Steward's grip tightened on the steering wheel as he pushed the patrol car to its limits, determined to catch up with the woman and her son.
A Mysterious Abandoned House
Eventually, the trail led them to an old, decrepit house nestled deep within the woods. The officers cautiously approached the house, their flashlights cutting through the darkness.
The eerie silence amplified their anticipation as they feared what they might find inside. Officer Steward entered cautiously and wondered if this was where the woman and her son lived.
Searching for Clues
The officers carefully searched the abandoned house, their footsteps echoing through the empty rooms. Dust-covered furniture, broken windows, and decaying remnants of a forgotten past surrounded them.
Officer Steward hoped that this was not where they lived because the place was not suitable for any human being. He hoped that they lived somewhere more habitable than this.
A Sense Of Familiarity
But as Officer Steward moved through the house, he couldn't shake the feeling that he had been there before. Why couldn’t he remember? His forgetfulness was making him very frustrated, and he wished he could remember why he felt this way.
The sense of familiarity intensified, urging him to unravel the mystery that lay within these walls.
A Shocking Discovery
In a small, dimly lit room, Officer Steward stumbled upon a photograph. It depicted a younger version of the woman he had encountered earlier, smiling happily with a man and a little boy.
The realization hit him like a ton of bricks—the woman was his childhood friend, Laura, and the boy was her son. Officer Steward froze in his tracks.
The Forgotten Past
Officer Steward's mind raced as he tried to piece together the fragments of their forgotten past. Memories flooded back, intertwining with the sense of familiarity that had haunted him since he first saw Laura.
He had completely forgotten his childhood best friend. Officer Steward couldn’t believe it. He needed to find her now more than ever.
Sad
He vividly recalled their childhood adventures, the laughter they shared, and the promise they made to always be there for each other. But somewhere along the way, life had pulled them apart, erasing those memories.
Officer Steward felt a pang of sadness hit him. He hated the fact that he lost contact with Laura. He wanted to find her and make things right.
Reconnecting with Laura
Armed with this newfound knowledge, Officer Steward's determination to find Laura and her son grew even stronger. He was no longer just an officer trying to right a wrong; he was a friend eager to reconnect and provide the support she desperately needed.
He didn’t want to wait at the house in case they didn't live there anymore, so they left.
Tracking Down Laura
Using the information they had gathered, the officers continued their search for Laura. They visited places from their childhood, hoping to find clues or someone who knew her whereabouts
And Officer Steward once again waited at the cafe in the hopes of seeing them there. But they never showed up. He even asked the waitress if they came there again, but there was no luck.
A Bond
Days turned into weeks, and the search seemed endless. Officer Steward's commitment to finding his long-lost friend only deepened, fueled by his remorse for not recognizing her earlier and the unwavering bond they once shared.
At some point in life, he thought that they would eventually end up together, but unfortunately, life didn’t work out that way.
A Breakthrough
Just as hope was starting to wane, Officer Steward received a phone call from an old acquaintance who had heard about the search.
The person claimed to have seen Laura and her son in a nearby town, seeking refuge in a shelter for families in need. This was the breakthrough he needed. Officer Steward wasted no time.
Anxious
Officer Steward's heart skipped a beat as he thanked the caller and rushed to the shelter, his mind filled with a mix of anxiety and excitement.
Would Laura know who he was besides being the officer who gave her the ticket on that fateful day? Would she recognize him after all these years? Or would she be angry at him?
Reunion at the Shelter
Officer Steward arrived at the shelter, his heart pounding with anticipation. He entered the bustling facility, scanning the crowded room for a glimpse of Laura's bright red curls.
And then, in the sea of faces, their eyes met. It was a moment frozen in time—a reunion that transcended words. Tears welled up in Officer Steward's eyes as he approached Laura and embraced her.
Unspoken Words
In that heartfelt embrace, all the unspoken words between them found solace. The years of separation and misunderstandings melted away, leaving only a renewed connection and a shared understanding.
Laura's eyes mirrored a mix of relief and gratitude as she whispered, "I didn’t know it was you, James."
A Tale of Loss and Struggle
As they sat in a quiet corner of the shelter, Laura shared her harrowing journey of loss and struggle. She had endured a devastating divorce, the unexpected death of her parents, and financial hardship that left her and her son homeless.
Feeling defeated and alone, she had given up hope. The ticket that she received from him was the final straw.
A Promise Renewed
Officer Steward listened intently, his heart breaking with each word. He vowed to help Laura rebuild her life, just as they had promised each other all those years ago. The sense of responsibility weighed heavily on him, knowing that he had a chance to make things right.
First, he was going to write off the ticket, and then he was going to find them a place to stay. Officer Steward would later learn that Laura’s son’s name was James. She named him after him.
A Community United
News of Officer Steward's efforts to help Laura and James spread throughout the community. People were inspired by his dedication and rallied together to offer their support.
Donations poured in, ranging from financial assistance to job opportunities and even housing options. Laura couldn’t believe all the help they were receiving. She didn’t know people could be so kind.
A New Beginning
With the community's help, Laura and James found stability and a fresh start. Officer Steward, true to his word, remained by their side, providing guidance, friendship, and reassurance.
As they settled into their new life, Officer Steward found himself filled with a sense of purpose and fulfillment he hadn't experienced in years. Laura and James felt like his family.
A Troubling Revelation
However, amidst the newfound hope, a troubling revelation surfaced. Officer Steward discovered that Laura's ex-husband, who had caused her so much pain, had recently been released from prison.
Fear and concern gripped Officer Steward as he worried about Laura's safety. He knew he had to act swiftly to ensure her well-being.
Heightened Security
Officer Steward collaborated with his colleagues to implement heightened security measures around Laura and James. Patrols were increased in their neighborhood, and Laura was provided with a panic button that would immediately alert the authorities if she felt threatened.
Officer Steward remained close to Laura and James to provide all the protection and safety they needed.