When things get better for her a few years later, the lady who left her child on a business airline seat chooses to find and adopt him. She had been afraid she wouldn’t be able to care for him.
“A REGRETABLE WOMAN? Rhonda, I think you’re insane!” When her father, David Harris, learned that she was expecting her lover Peter’s child, he screamed at her.
Rhonda’s father ran a sizable textile firm; therefore, she came from an affluent household in contrast to Peter. Sadly, she lost her mother when she was only two years old.
In addition to giving his daughter the best food, clothing, and education possible, Mr. Harris was also a highly controlling father who didn’t want his daughter to ever defy him.
Rhonda attempted to conceal her pregnancy from her father by dressing big, but as the baby bulge became more noticeable, she was unable to do so. She made the decision to inform Mr. Harris about her pregnancy, but he was not impressed. “Rhonda, you’re going to get rid of that kid. Are you understanding it?”
Rhonda, then 16 years old, angrily said, “No, dad.” “I refuse to. I can’t abort the kid, and it’s too late now.”
Mr. Harris cautioned her, “Then you’ll have to figure out how you’re going to raise that child yourself.” “No member of our family has ever ventured to wed a member of a lower social stratum. So you leave my house immediately if you wish to rise that man’s blood.”
After a while, Rhonda answered, “Fine, dad,” her eyes filling with sorrow. “Perhaps mom would have encouraged me if she had been around longer. I’ll raise the kid by myself and disprove your assertions.”
That night, Rhonda packed up her things and broke off contact with her father. Mr. Harris told her to return only once she had placed the child in an orphanage, but he didn’t move one inch and shut the door behind her.
Rhonda ordered an Uber to Peter’s residence without saying anything. She told him when she got there that she had left her father’s house to start a new life with him because he had refused to acknowledge their child. To her surprise, though, Peter declined to assume parental duties for the child.
“See, sweetie,” he murmured. “I’m not prepared to have a child. What made you leave your father’s house, and why? When we decided to get married and raise a family, he might have provided us with financial support. Rhonda, get rid of that kid or forget about me.”
Rhonda felt a wave of astonishment upon hearing that. “But Peter, this child is mine. How are you able to…?”
“Look, Rhonda, you and that baby are just giving me grief right now. What do you know? It’s finished.”
“Peter!” Rhonda started crying. “When you learned that you were pregnant, you were overjoyed! What took place?”
“Because, baby, you’re nobody at this moment.” He slammed the door in her face, “Your dad kicked you out, and I can’t raise that kid, so goodbye.”
In a single night, Rhonda’s life completely changed! She was shocked that despite her heavy pregnancy, neither her father nor her partner showed any concern for her well-being! That evening, she sobbed as she left Peter’s house and walked the streets, not knowing where life would lead her.
She went into labor as soon as she felt a sudden, intense ache in her abdomen. She was in constant agony and was asking others to assist her. Thankfully, a woman saw her and, with the aid of her driver, helped Rhonda get into her car and drive quickly to the hospital.
That night, Rhonda gave birth to a boy, and when she woke up, Angela Bamford, the person who had helped her, was there by her bed.
Rhonda whispered to her, “Thank you very much for helping me.” “My child… .he’s safe, right?”
Mrs. Bamford reassured her, “He’s perfectly fine.” “Have you just moved here? You were lugging your bags, I noted.”
Rhonda started crying and couldn’t stop. She sobbed and related to Mrs. Bamford how she had come to be there. Rhonda wailed, “I want to leave this place.” “All I want is to leave Texas.” “However, I’m not sure if I can provide my child a happy life.”
In addition to the fact that Rhonda was a homeless mother debating whether or not to raise her child, Mrs. Bamford was deeply sorry for Rhonda since she reminded her of her own daughter.
Mrs. Bamford comforted her, saying, “Don’t say that, dear.” “My daughter was your age once. We were enraged and threw her out of the house when we learned she was expecting.”
“My spouse runs an airline, so we had enough money to support our daughter. However, we were against a pregnancy at such a young age. I would have loved to assist her. She was unable to handle it all, so she ended her own life. That is not something I want anyone else to experience! It is an awful place to be.”
“I’m sorry to hear that,” Rhonda murmured, blotting her tears.
“I sympathize with her as well,” Mrs. Bamford continued. “But now, it’s too late. Fear not—I’ll assist you. I can book the ticket for you. Ensure that your child has a happy life in their new home.”
“Oh no,” said Rhonda. “You’ve already helped me out a lot… I will not be able to come back.”
“Please,” asked Mrs. Bamford. “It would be the same as helping my daughter if I assisted you. It will also assist me in overcoming my guilt.”
Rhonda was at that time unable to refuse Mrs. Bamford. After accepting the ticket, she was on a business class flight from AUS to JFK a few days later, eager to begin her life over.
But even as she sank into her seat and held her infant, she couldn’t help but worry about her capacity to provide him a happy life.
“What happens if I can’t take care of my child? What happens if we wind up living on the streets together?” These thoughts were so preoccupying Rhonda that she was unaware the flight had ended and the pilot had announced their arrival at JFK.
When Rhonda realized she would be left alone in an unfamiliar place with a child and no way to support him, she became quite afraid. Worried about what was ahead for her and her son, her mind began to race and her heart began to race.
That’s when she made a really difficult choice. She made the decision to leave her infant on the aircraft in the hopes that someone would adopt him and provide for him.
After waiting for the folks in the seats next to her to get out of her way, she hastily left her son on the seat with a letter she had written earlier and hurried out of the plane. She thought it was best, even though it took all of her power not to turn around and grab her baby back.
After the passengers had departed, Lincy, one of the stewardesses, went to the seat and was surprised to see the baby. As she read the note Rhonda had left with him, she couldn’t help but feel awful for the kid.
Being a poor mother, I was unable to provide for my child. If you find this message, don’t waste your time trying to find me. I never would have been able to provide him a good life. I wish you would embrace and value him as your own. It would please me if you gave him the name Matthew. Harris, Matthew. I had decided on that name for him.
After 13 years,
Rhonda had been struggling for nearly ten years, but she had now secured a steady job and was financially secure. Still, she never went a day without regretting leaving her son on the plane.
After arriving in New York City, she battled homelessness for almost seven years, spending the final seven of those years attempting to secure a job and rent a home. Eventually, everything had worked out for her, and she believed she would be able to support her kid.
Naturally, she felt guilty about her past actions and worried that her kid would never accept her. However, she made the brave decision to see her boy for the first—and perhaps last—time. Regretfully, she was right when she predicted that something would go wrong.
“My mother? I must be dreaming.” When she finally met Matthew, he snapped at her. “Over the years, where have you been? You are not necessary for me! With my adopted parents, I’m content.”
When Matthew said that, Rhonda’s eyes got teary. She’d gone to the local police and told them the whole tale, hoping that one of the helpful policemen would help her find her kid.
She initially believed that she would never find Matthew because he might have changed his name and adopted by anyone in the world. By chance, she started her search in New York and was able to locate him there using the name she had given him.
She got in touch with Matthew’s adoptive mother and gave him the name Matthew Harris, explaining to her why she had given up on him. As it happened, Lincy, the flight attendant, and her husband had adopted the boy. After hearing Rhonda’s story, she was reluctant to introduce her to Matthew because of how she’d left him, but in the end, she consented to give her an opportunity to clarify.
“To Matthew, I apologize,” Rhonda added. “I know you’re upset, and you don’t want to accept me, but can’t you give me one chance?”
“No way!” exclaimed the boy. “You abandoned me on my own. If my parents hadn’t adopted me…”
Rhonda remarked, “But Matthew.” “That’s not what I wanted to do. Could I not tell you why I broke up with you?”
Despite his initial reluctance, Matthew eventually consented when his parents convinced him. Because he was just 13, Rhonda didn’t tell him about the early pregnancy or how she got kicked out. But she informed him that his father had abandoned her and that she was impoverished.
“Lincy continued by saying that Rhonda gave him up because she found it difficult to give him a happy life. Matthew was still unwilling to acknowledge Mary as his mother, though. Maybe I can forgive you,” he murmured. “I can’t call you mom, though. There is just one mother that I know.”
Rhonda reassured Matthew, “It’s all right.” “Can I come to see you at least on weekends?”
The boy said, “Okay, that’s not bothering me.”
Ten years have passed since that tragic day. At present, Matthew is a 23-year-old data scientist employed in New York City. Over time, he came to accept Rhonda as his mother and forgive her for her actions, understanding that they were driven by a compulsion.
After meeting Andrew at work, Rhonda and the man had been dating for a month. Rhonda plans to discuss her desire to marry Matthew before moving forward. When she traveled to Texas two years ago, she also met Mrs. Bamford, and the elder woman expressed her happiness that everything had worked out for her.
