Wendy had always envisioned her later years being spent with her son, John, providing care and companionship. However, her reality took a cruel turn when John abandoned her, a disabled woman in a wheelchair, on a desolate street. Little did he know that a year later, his mother would reappear at his doorstep, not in a wheelchair, but standing tall on her own two feet, ready to deliver a life-altering surprise.

"Can't talk now, mom! I'm with a client. This could finally be the house sale I've been waiting for all year. I'll ask the neighbors to check on you. But I'm sure it's just a minor thing. Maybe you just sat on the toilet for too long. Okay, gotta run. I'll swing by tonight to see how you are."

Wendy vividly recalled that phone call with John, the first time a strange numbness crept into her legs. The sheer panic she felt as she desperately called him for help remained etched in her memory. She remembered struggling for breath, gripped by the fear of impending death. Yet, her own son, living just a few blocks away, couldn't spare the time.

True to his wordless promise, John didn't call the neighbors, nor did he visit her that night. And as fate would have it, his real estate career continued its stagnant course; he failed to sell a single house that entire year.

A year crawled by since Wendy first experienced the unsettling numbness in her legs. Then, one fateful day, her legs simply gave out, as if paralyzed. Initially, the weakness was fleeting, lasting only ten to fifteen minutes. She would patiently wait, gathering her strength in a quiet corner of her home until her legs regained their function.

However, the episodes grew more frequent, culminating in a devastating fall that left her helpless on the floor. Her cries for help were eventually answered by her kind neighbors. They immediately contacted John, who reluctantly rushed her to the hospital.

The diagnosis was a rare nerve compression syndrome affecting her lower limbs. Wendy's condition deteriorated over the following year, exacerbated by the fact that both she and John had initially dismissed her symptoms. The injuries sustained during her fall only compounded her suffering. Wendy was now confined to a wheelchair, her independence stolen by a cruel twist of fate and her son's neglect.

For the first month, John dutifully drove Wendy to and from her physiotherapy sessions. But as time wore on and Wendy showed no signs of improvement, John's patience wore thin. Despite Wendy diligently spending her own money on the treatments, John's frustration grew with each passing trip.

"I really think you should just give up, Mom. How many more meetings am I supposed to miss? You know I need to focus on selling houses, right?" Wendy would silently wipe away her tears, her heart aching from her son's callous remarks during their car rides.

'But he's my son,' Wendy would try to reassure herself, clinging to the fragile thread of their bond. 'At least he's here for me.'

But the universe has its own way of balancing scales.

When physiotherapy and medication proved ineffective, the doctors recommended an expensive surgical procedure. Wendy had already exhausted her savings on the initial treatments. She turned to John, her only hope, but he flatly refused.

"Do you know how much rent I pay for my place? I can barely afford it, but as a realtor, I need to maintain a certain image. Who would ever buy a house from someone who lives in a small, unimpressive place?" John reasoned, his words a sharp sting to Wendy's already wounded heart.

One day, John received an unexpected call from Wendy's neighbors. She was in the hospital, they informed him, undergoing surgery. John was completely unaware of any such plans, but he drove to the hospital nonetheless.

He found Wendy in her room, sitting on the bed, tears streaming down her face as a group of doctors spoke to her. The lead doctor noticed John and stepped out of the room. "Are you Mr. John Matthews, her son?" John nodded.

"Where have you been? We waited for a next of kin, but since no one arrived, we decided to deliver the news to Wendy directly."

"What news?" John asked, a knot of unease tightening in his stomach.

"Mr. Matthews, your mother's surgery did not yield the results we had hoped for. We haven't observed any significant movement in her legs yet, and we cannot predict when or if we will see any change. For now, it's a matter of waiting and observing. Wendy has already completed the discharge paperwork and is free to leave."

John put on a facade of empathy, offering hollow words of comfort to Wendy. As he wheeled her towards his car, he casually inquired how she had managed to pay for the surgery.

"I didn't want to burden you with any financial worries, son, so I made the decision myself," Wendy replied softly.

"What decision, Mom?"

"I sold the house."

John abruptly stopped, his hands freezing on the wheelchair handles. He was stunned.

"Remember Joanne? My friend from the old book club who moved to another city? She introduced me to her nephew, who was looking to buy a house in our area. In fact, they called and said they were coming to visit me—"

"Are you kidding me, Mom? You sold the house? For what? A failed surgery? You're so selfish! Didn't you even think about me? It's my house too, right? I was counting on that house after—"

John caught himself, but the unspoken words hung heavy in the air. Wendy felt a sharp pang of hurt. It was clear that John's concern lay solely with his inheritance, not with her well-being.

As Wendy silently wiped away her tears, John's phone rang. It was a prospective client. He turned away to answer the call. After the conversation, he informed Wendy that he had an urgent meeting.

"Go ahead, son," Wendy said, her voice tinged with resignation. "As I mentioned, Joanne was coming to visit me. I'll ask her to drop me off at the nursing home. I've already made arrangements to move in."

"You see, that's exactly what I'm talking about. I had no idea what you were doing—"

John's words were cut short by another incoming call. He shook his head in disgust at his mother and abruptly left. Wendy was left alone, quietly sobbing in her wheelchair in the hospital parking lot, feeling utterly abandoned and heartbroken.

A year passed without a word between John and his mother. One morning, the sound of a car pulling into his driveway broke the silence. He wasn't expecting any visitors. He went outside to see a senior woman stepping out of the vehicle. She stood by the car, seemingly searching for something in the glove compartment.

"Can I help you, ma'am?" John asked, puzzled by the sight of a stranger parking outside his house.

When the woman turned around, John was struck dumb with disbelief. It was Wendy, and she was standing on her own two feet.

"Mom, oh my God! How are you?"

"Much better, son. I'm cherishing every moment," Wendy replied, her positive demeanor catching John off guard. He hesitantly invited her inside and offered her a glass of water.

John felt awkward, unsure how to interact with this seemingly transformed version of his mother. Wendy broke the silence. "Don't look so gloomy, son. Look, I'm perfectly fine now. Do you remember when you left me all alone on the street after my surgery?" John's face paled as the memory of his callous behavior resurfaced.

"Well! My friend Joanne and her nephew, Evan, arrived shortly after that. They were devastated to find me alone near the parking lot, so they took me with them instead of dropping me at the nursing home. Joanne had to leave the next day, but Evan offered me to stay with him in my old house. I mean, his house, since he bought it from me."

"He cared for me like a son and even found better doctors in another city. I was terrified of another surgery, but Evan was there by my side throughout. And miraculously, the surgery was a success. Evan also paid for my knee replacement surgery. Not only can I walk, but I can also run like I used to when I was young."

John was speechless, a mixture of embarrassment and disbelief swirling within him. Despite his shame, he couldn't shake off a feeling of resentment towards this stranger who had seemingly replaced him in his mother's life. He snapped, "I get it. I was a terrible son. But if this Evan is so great, why are you even here?"

Just then, another car pulled up outside John's house. A young man walked in.

"Oh, Evan. Perfect timing. We were just talking about you," Wendy chuckled, warmly greeting the young man.

"Excuse me. You can't just walk into my house like that," John said, pointing furiously at Evan.

"Well, but I can enter MY house, can't I?" Evan's words left John utterly confused.

As it turned out, Evan was the new owner of the house John was living in. John had been completely unaware, as he had only dealt with the real estate agency managing the transactions. Furthermore, John had neglected to pay his rent for six months and had been avoiding the agency's calls.

The agency had contacted Evan after John missed a couple of rent payments. However, knowing John was struggling based on what Wendy had shared, Evan had instructed the agency to give him some leeway.

But when Wendy learned about John's negligence, she realized she could no longer enable his behavior. She urged Evan to take action.

"Oh, I almost forgot, son!" Wendy reached into her bag. "Here is the eviction notice. You have 15 days." Wendy handed John the documents and left with Evan, leaving John standing in stunned silence.

John sank onto his couch, his head in his hands. The weight of his actions finally crashed down on him. He had hit rock bottom.

What can we learn from this story?

Care for your parents. Our parents make countless sacrifices to raise us. The least we can do in their old age is to provide them with care and support. Wendy showed immense love for John, even in the face of his disrespect and hurtful actions. John, on the other hand, neglected Wendy when she desperately needed him but still felt entitled to her house as an inheritance.

Karma will always find its way back. John consistently treated Wendy with disdain and disrespect. His negative actions ultimately came back to haunt him when his mother played a role in his eviction.

Share this story with your friends. It might offer them a moment of reflection and inspiration.