Alice wanted to take a DNA genetic assay for fun, trying to look for distant relatives whom she’s never met. She was in for the surprise of her life when the test revealed that she had a daughter she never met, or so it seemed.
Alice Edwards lived life to the fullest with her husband Timothy despite not having any children. Due to their busy careers as lawyers, they never got to have children although they considered it several times.
Alice and Timothy met at college while they were both studying political science. It was love at first sight for them, and they were inseparable ever since. Over the next four decades, they lived life with just the two of them, focusing on their careers and their relationship.
When they were reaching retirement in their mid-40s, it was too late for Alice to bear any children. However, as they grew older and without any lawsuits to focus on, they started longing for kids.
So, Alice and Timothy started the adoption process instead. One day, Alice was busy on the final case of her career, when her phone rang. She was extremely focused, and she thought the call was a distraction. “This better be worth it,” she said to herself before answering.
“Hello, Mrs. Edwards,” the voice said so quietly that it gave Alice goosebumps. “I’m calling about your husband Timothy…”
Alice could barely keep the phone near her ear. She didn’t want to hear it. She could already tell that something was wrong.
“I’m sorry, ma’am.. but Timothy suffered a heart attack. He is currently at the district hospital.” Alice’s heart shattered into a million pieces.
“I’m all alone now. Why did you leave me, Tim?” she said to herself, tears falling down her face.
Alice had been alone all her life, being placed in several foster homes before meeting Timothy. Meanwhile, Timothy’s family had always been supportive of him, and of Alice, too.
His family was her family, and when his parents died, all they had were each other. Now, she couldn’t believe that Tim left the earth before her, and that meant she was more alone than ever.
So instead of retiring, she decided to take in more work. She stayed in the office from morning until night, pouring herself into work, until one day, it all caught up with her. She collapsed in the middle of a court hearing while defending a homeless mother who assaulted the social worker who tried to take away her baby.
That ended up being her last court hearing, as the doctor advised her to stay home. At the young age of 55, she officially retired from being a lawyer.
She refused to stay home the entire day, so she applied for a teaching job at the law school that she and Timothy attended together. They gladly took her in knowing her track record, and she taught lectures for a couple of hours a week.
Teaching kept her preoccupied for most of the day, but every night, she still felt alone as she sat in bed watching television. One night, she was watching a TV show where the host was interviewing a frail white woman.
Curious, Alice turned up the volume and realized the woman was talking about how her mother did not know who her daughter’s father was. “My mom had some dark years in her past, but now she’s a woman of faith,” she shared.
The woman then shared that she found her father through a DNA test that her husband did on her. “I not only found my father’s name, but I found out I have seven brothers and sisters. Can you believe it?”
At that, the show’s staff members ushered in eight people who looked just like the woman. “I wanted to know where I came from, and how come he didn’t love me like he did my other siblings,” the woman admitted, while her siblings awkwardly sat on the couch.
Alice shut the TV, but the woman’s words would not stop echoing in her ear. “I wanted to know where I came from,” she said to herself as she looked at herself in the bathroom mirror.
She decided to get a DNA test for herself, and she patiently waited for the results for over a month. The first part showed her ethnic heritage, but in another section, it shared she had a 50% match with a young woman she’s never heard of.
“How can I possibly have a daughter?” she asked herself, as she read the young woman’s name was Alison James. Insulted, she sent an email to the company, accusing them of spreading false information. Being the lawyer that she is, she threatened to sue.
The company called her a couple of days later, and they explained that given her assertion that she was never pregnant, it was possible she had an identical twin she’s never heard of.
“I was raised in the foster system, so I never knew if I had any biological siblings,” she answered.
Alice decided to send Alison a personal message, and she received an excited reply, suggesting they see each other.
Just a few days later, she walked into a coffee shop where she immediately spotted Alison. She had curly red hair and was white as a ghost.
“You look exactly like mom…” Alison said, astonished. “You even have the same hair, and you walk like her,” she added.
“Are you Alison?” Alice said as she sat down in front of her. “Was your mom in foster care, too?” she asked.
Alison shook her head, explaining that her mother, Stacey, was adopted when she was a toddler. She had no recollection of her biological family, and her adoptive parents discouraged her from finding them.
“Mom knows I’m here,” Alison explained. “It’s just that she’s scared. She doesn’t want to find out why her mother.. my grandmother, abandoned her.”
“Well, she abandoned us. And she separated us, too. I wish I knew my sister,” Alice said, suddenly longing for some sort of connection to other people now that Timothy was gone.
Alison and Alice caught up with one another for a couple more minutes, until Alison’s face broke into a smile. “Mom,” she exclaimed.
Alice looked behind her and was stunned to see a woman who looked exactly like her. “Alice… I’m Stacey.”
Without a second thought, Alice threw her arms around her sister and cried. Stacey wrapped her arms around Alice’s waist and was crying, too.
“I’ve always felt as if a part of me was missing,” Stacey cried. Alice nodded and agreed to her sister.
“I’m glad we found each other before it was too late,” Alice said. They spent the entire day getting to know each other, and Alison and Stacey made sure to let Alice know that she did not need to spend another day alone.
The sisters ended up moving in together, and they visit Alison and her family every weekend at their house. Finally, Alice was glad to spend time with family, especially with the sister she never knew she had.