I Accidentally Grabbed the Wrong Luggage at the Airport — What I Saw Inside Made My Jaw Drop
When Clara realizes she has grabbed the wrong suitcase at the airport, she doesn’t expect anything unusual. But as she opens it, her jaw drops in shock. Among the clothes lies a mysterious envelope that will change everything.
“Bella, make sure you grab the right one,” I called out, half-jokingly.
“Don’t worry, Clara,” Bella laughed. “I know which one’s mine.”
A woman standing near a car with her luggage | Source: Pexels
I never thought a simple suitcase mix-up could lead to such an emotional rollercoaster. It all started at my parents’ house.
Mom’s birthday weekend was lovely. My sister, Bella, and I had a great time catching up with our parents. But now, it was time to head back to reality.
A woman walking on the sidewalk with her luggage | Source: Pexels
We were in the front yard, stuffing our suitcases into the trunk of our Uber.
Our identical suitcases, I should add.
Mom had gifted us these suitcases many Christmases ago, and it had never been a problem… until that day.
Two suitcases beside a plant | Source: Pexels
Mom came out to wave us off, a warm smile on her face.
“Safe travels, girls. Call when you get home.”
A young woman kissing an older woman on the cheek | Source: Pexels
“Do you have everything? Tickets, phones, chargers?” Dad asked, helping us load the luggage.
“Yep, all set!” I said, giving him a quick hug.
Bella and I got into the car, and as we drove off, I felt a familiar pang of sadness.
A smiling woman looking out a car window | Source: Pexels
Leaving home always made me a little nostalgic. After I moved out, college barely gave me any free time. So now my visits to Mom and Dad’s were limited to holidays and special occasions.
I cherished those rare moments, whether it was Thanksgiving, Christmas, or just a random weekend when I could break away.
A family enjoying a Thanksgiving dinner | Source: Freepik
“I wish we could stay longer,” I sighed, staring out the car window.
“I know,” Bella agreed. “But we’ll be back soon. Cheer up!”
A woman looking out the car window | Source: Pexels
We chatted about the weekend and our plans for the next visit. Bella and I live in different states, and we were already excited about our upcoming visit.
The drive to the airport was smooth, but I couldn’t shake the feeling of already missing home.
An airport | Source: Pexels
Finally, we reached the airport, checked in, and went our separate ways to catch our flights. I arrived back at my apartment later that evening, exhausted but content.
As I opened the suitcase in my living room, expecting to see my clothes neatly packed, I froze.
An open suitcase | Source: Pexels
Staring back at me were Bella’s shoes and clothes. I plopped down on my couch, chuckling about the suitcase mix-up.
I started pulling out clothes and shoes, realizing these were all Bella’s things. “Typical,” I muttered, shaking my head.
But then, something else caught my eye.
A woman looking at clothes on a hanger | Source: Pexels
An envelope lay nestled between Bella’s clothes.
My heart skipped a beat when I saw the familiar handwriting: “Open When Clara Is Not Around!”
It was unmistakably Mom’s handwriting.
A person writing on an envelope | Source: Pexels
With a deep breath, I opened the envelope.
“What the…?” I whispered as I saw what was inside.
I sat back and stared at the envelope, memories flooding my mind.
A woman opening a gray envelope | Source: Pexels
Just a few days ago, I had asked my parents for help with buying a new car.
They had shaken their heads, saying they were low on money and believed I could handle it since I was an adult. I had accepted it, even though it hurt a bit.
A white car on display in a showroom | Source: Pexels
Then, I remembered how Bella had been scrolling online and showed us a photo of a bag she really liked.
She had received a lot of attention for it, and I had brushed it off as a normal sibling thing.
But now that I saw money inside the envelope, my worst fears were confirmed.
A bag and a sandal on display | Source: Pexels
I have always been insecure that Mom and Dad like Bella more. So if this money was for her, I was right all along.
I paced around my kitchen, the envelope of money sitting on the counter. My mind raced with questions. I had to know what was going on.
Finally, I picked up my phone and called Bella.
A woman using her phone | Source: Freepik
“Hey, Clara!” Bella answered cheerfully. “Did you get my stuff?”
“Yeah, I did,” I replied, trying to keep my tone light. “Looks like we swapped suitcases. I’ll mail your things back as soon as possible.”
“Same here,” Bella said. “I’ve got your stuff too. I’ll send it out tomorrow.”
“Thanks,” I said, hesitating before bringing up the envelope.
An envelope with cash | Source: Pexels
“By the way, did you know there was an envelope in your suitcase?” I asked.
There was a brief silence on the other end.
“Envelope? No, I didn’t know about that.”
A woman talking on her phone | Source: Freepik
“I thought maybe Mom put it there for you.”
Bella sounded genuinely surprised. “Really? That’s weird. Maybe Mom sneaked it in before we left. Did you see what it’s for?”
“No, not really,” I lied, feeling uneasy. “Just thought you might know.”
An older woman | Source: Pexels
“Sorry, sis, I have no idea,” Bella said.
“Yeah, it’s weird,” I said, feeling more confused than ever. “Talk to you later.”
“Later,” Bella said, hanging up.
A young woman using her phone | Source: Freepik
I put my phone down and stared at the envelope. Bella sounded clueless, but I couldn’t shake the feeling that something wasn’t right.
Was she being completely honest with me?
I decided I needed to call my mom and get to the bottom of this. I had to know what the money was really for and why it was hidden in Bella’s suitcase.
A stressed woman | Source: Pexels
I sat on my bed, the envelope still in my hand, and took a deep breath. Then, I dialed Mom’s number.
“Hi, sweetheart!” Mom answered cheerfully. “How was your trip back?”
“It was fine, Mom,” I replied, trying to keep my voice steady. “I need to talk to you about something…”
“Yes?”
An elderly woman sitting comfortably at home with her gadgets | Source: Pexels
“I found an envelope in Bella’s suitcase with your handwriting on it. It said, ‘Open When Clara Is Not Around!’”
Mom went totally quiet as if she was thinking what to say next.
“Oh, that’s strange,” she said eventually. “What was in the envelope?”
I lost my cool.
An angry woman | Source: Pexels
“Money, Mom! A stack of money,” I said, feeling a lump form in my throat. “I thought you said you didn’t have any money to help me with a new car! What’s going on?”
I could hear her sighing.
“Money? Oh, Clara, I’m so sorry. That envelope wasn’t meant for Bella. It was for you.”
A woman holding dollar bills | Source: Pexels
“For me?” I repeated, my mind spinning. “But why hide it in Bella’s suitcase? Why not just give it to me?”
“Sweetheart, it was supposed to be a surprise,” Mom explained gently.
“What?”
Mom started explaining what had happened.
A woman smiling and talking on her phone | Source: Pexels
“Honey, your dad and I wanted to help you get a new car. It was all Bella’s idea that we’ll surprise you. We only remembered at the last moment that we hadn’t given Bella the envelope with our share. She contributed, too. Your dad must have mixed up the suitcases by accident, and well, you ended up with the money.”
“But like, I mean… Didn’t you guys say you were a bit tight on money?”
A red bow on a new car | Source: Freepik
“Oh, sweetheart, don’t worry about that. We managed. And it’s only now that I’m getting Bella’s text that I shouldn’t tell you everything! Oh, dear!” she laughed. “Sorry, hun. Didn’t want to hurt you,” Mom continued.
“So, you weren’t giving Bella money for that bag she wanted?” I asked.
Mom chuckled softly. “No, Clara. The money was always meant for you. We wanted to show you that we believe in you and support you, even if we didn’t have much to give at the moment.”
A woman holding a stylish bag | Source: Freepik
I didn’t know whether to cry from relief or laugh at the misunderstanding.
“Mom, I’m sorry I doubted you and Bella. I just… I’ve been feeling a bit insecure lately,” I said, feeling like I had been a terrible daughter.
“Oh, honey,” Mom said, her voice filled with warmth. “We love you so much, and we’re proud of you. Bella and I just wanted to make things a little easier for you. Now, enjoy that money and get yourself a nice car. This is for you and only you.”
A happy family | Source: Freepik
“I will,” I said, feeling a weight lift off my shoulders. “I love you, Mom. Thank you so much for this.”
“Love you too, Clara,” she said before we hung up.
I sat there for a moment, overwhelmed with emotions. I had been so quick to assume the worst, and now I felt a mixture of relief and guilt. But more than anything, I felt grateful for my family’s love and support.
I picked up my phone and dialed Bella.
A woman using her phone | Source: Pexels
“Hey, Bella. I just talked to Mom. Thank you for the surprise. It means a lot to me.”
Bella laughed. “No problem, Clara. We just wanted to help. I’m glad you found the surprise, even if it was a bit mixed up!”
I couldn’t help but chuckle. “I was so stupid to act like that,” I said. “Thanks for everything. Love you so, so much!”
Have you ever ended up in a silly yet heartwarming situation like this?
Boy Goes to Visit Twin Brother’s Grave, Doesn’t Return Home Even at 11 p.m. — Story of the Day
It was a parent’s worst nightmare come true when the Wesenbergs lost their little son Ted one Sunday afternoon. Unfortunately, it happened in a place that was supposed to be the safest for the family, where nothing should have gone wrong, yet everything did.
The Wesenbergs found Ted dead in their swimming pool. His body was floating like a pool float, and Paul Wesenberg had dived into the water to save his son, but it was too late—neither his mouth-to-mouth nor the paramedics he’d dialed could bring his son back.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Linda Wesenberg couldn’t bear the sorrow of losing her son, and she sat as pale, numb, and motionless as her late son at his funeral. Then as a week went by without Ted in the Wesenberg household, things turned chaotic, brutal even, and so harsh that little Clark couldn’t stand it…
Linda and Paul were struggling to cope with their loss, and they fought every day, every time. Clark heard loud noises from his parents’ room every night, and his mommy would get frustrated and eventually cry.
His daddy would blame his mommy for Ted’s death, and his mommy would blame everything on his daddy. Clark hid under his blanket every night, clutching his teddy bear and sobbing whenever he heard his parents bickering.
No loss is so profound that love cannot heal it.
When Ted was there with him, things had been so different. Their parents rarely argued back then, and his mommy was never sad and upset. She would kiss him goodnight and hug him before she tucked him in bed, but she no longer did any of that now.
She had also stopped making breakfast and often stayed in bed, telling him she was ill. Paul always made them toast and eggs for breakfast now, and he had started arriving home early to prepare dinner for them, but his cooking was not even close to Linda’s.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Clark missed his brother. He missed Ted so badly that he wished he had gone to the place where his brother was… because their parents no longer cared about their son, who was still alive.
All they cared about was who was to blame for their other son’s death.
One evening, things went from bad to worse. Clark heard his parents arguing again, and he was so frustrated that he couldn’t stand it. “Mommy! Daddy! Please stop!” he yelled as he stormed into their bedroom. “Please stop! I don’t like it when you fight!”
“Look, Paul!” his mother hissed. “I lost Ted because of you, and now Clark hates you!”
“Oh really, Linda?” Paul shot back. “And what about you? I don’t think Clark’s in awe of you!”
Clark’s parents forgot he was in their room and continued to argue. They began blaming each other for Ted’s death again, and Clark decided he didn’t want to stay there any longer. Their home was filled with screams and tears since Ted left, and Clark had started despising his home.
“I hate you both…” he whispered, tears running down his cheeks. “I HATE YOU, MOMMY AND DADDY! I don’t want to live with you! I’m going to meet Ted because only he loved me!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Ted ran away from his parents’ room and out the front door. He paused to collect the dahlias he and Ted grew in their garden before running away to Ted’s grave in the cemetery only blocks away from their home.
“Look, you made him cry again. I’m sure you’re relieved now!” Paul snarled.
“I made him cry? Stop acting like I’m the bad person here!”
Linda and Paul continued to bicker, unconcerned about their little son, who’d run away to the cemetery alone. Clark sobbed as he pressed his fingertips against his brother’s gravestone and ran his fingers over the inscription.
“In the beloved memory of Ted Wesenberg,” read the engraving.
Clark bawled his eyes out at the sight of his brother’s grave. He missed Ted so much!
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
“I… I m—miss you, Ted,” he wept. “Could you please ask the angels to return you?”
“…and mommy and daddy are constantly arguing. Ted, they no longer love me. They hate me, and they don’t care about me. Could you please come back, Ted? Please? Nobody plays football with me, not even daddy…”
Clark had never felt so alone in his life. He placed the dahlias against his brother’s grave and sat down on the prickly grass, telling him about his heart’s concerns and how ignored and forgotten he felt.
Clark couldn’t stop crying as he told Ted how much he missed him, how difficult life was without him, and how much their parents had changed. He complained to him about the burnt breakfasts, how he had stopped growing dahlias, and how lonely he was.
Clark’s heart was so at ease after finally sharing his worries with his brother that he didn’t notice when the hours passed, and the sky darkened. The cemetery became deserted, and there wasn’t a single soul in sight. Yet, Clark decided not to go home because it was the first time since Ted’s death that he felt at peace.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Suddenly, he heard the rustling of dried leaves behind him. Clark looked around in fright. Who could’ve come to the gravesite at this hour? He sprang to his feet in terror as the sound grew louder and louder, still searching about.
Terrified he wasn’t alone, Clark whirled back to run, but he was too late. He saw several men clad in black robes approaching him. Their faces were obscured with hoods, and they held firebrands.
“See who has arrived in our dark kingdom! You shouldn’t have risked coming here, boy!” shouted one of the men.
“Who… who are you?” Clark asked in tears. “Please let me go!”
Clark was shaking in fear and didn’t know how to get himself out of trouble. The men didn’t let him leave.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
Clark was terrified of the dudes in robes, but then he heard a man’s booming voice. “Chad, back off! How many times will I tell you not to gather in my graveyard with your idiotic pals dressed in cult garb?”
Clark noticed the tall, well-dressed man in his 50s, as he approached. “Don’t worry, boy,” he said to Clark. “These boys won’t do anything. They’re worse than kids!”
“Oh, c’mon, Mr. Bowen!” The dude who stood face-to-face with Clark pulled off his hood and sighed. “Where else are our cult’s activities intended to take place if not here in a cemetery?”
“How about you stop burning your lousy report cards here and start studying instead? Back off, or I’ll tell your mother you often smoke here! I’m sure you wouldn’t take that chance. Now, you,” he gestured to Clark. “Come here, kid. Let’s get you home.”
Mr. Bowen seemed like a nice man to Clark. He dashed up to him and grasped his outstretched arm. Mr. Bowen took the boy to a small cabin and served him hot chocolate.
“What were you doing here at this hour?” the older man asked Clark.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
Mr. Bowen appeared to be a kind man, so Clark opened up to him about his parents and brother, how their lives had turned into a living hell since Ted died, and how he didn’t like his parents and didn’t want to go home.
***
Back home, Linda was panicking. She dialed Paul several times, but he wasn’t answering. It’d been over two hours since Paul left home after their quarrel.
She had been sitting at the kitchen table, venting to her friend on the phone all this while. As soon as she hung up and looked around, it hit her: Clark wasn’t around. Where’s Clark?
Linda’s heart was racing as she looked at the clock. It was past 11 p.m. when she checked Clark’s room and found him missing. Linda then went into the other rooms, the bathrooms, and the backyard, but Clark was nowhere to be found. To her, it was as if he’d vanished into thin air.
She called Paul again, no answer. “Pick your darn phone, Paul!” she cried. “Oh gosh! What do I do now?”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Linda paced nervously in her living room. She had no idea where to look for Clark until… she remembered him coming into the bedroom when she and Paul were arguing.
“The cemetery!” she recalled. “He was going to meet Ted!”
Linda grabbed the house keys, locked the door, and hurried to the cemetery. As she turned to the first street, she saw Paul’s car. He pulled over and rolled down his window.
“What are you doing here?” he asked.
“Clark isn’t home yet!” she said, getting inside the car. “Drive to the cemetery now!”
“What the hell?” Paul cried, starting the engine. “But when… did he never come back?”
“No, Paul! We were, well…” she paused. “We were so busy arguing that we didn’t notice!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Paul and Linda hurried to Ted’s grave as soon as they got to the cemetery. But there was no sign of Clark.
“Clark!” Linda shouted. “Honey, where are you?”
Right then, Paul nudged Linda. “Linda!” he cried. “What the hell is going on there!? Look!”
Paul and Linda were taken aback when they noticed a fire in the distance and heard voices performing chants. As they approached the gathering, they saw several teens dressed in black robes performing some sort of ceremony.
“Oh Lord,” Linda cried out. “Could they… have done something to Clark? Oh no, we’ve just lost Ted, and now—”
“Linda, no,” Paul consoled her. “Let’s not jump to any conclusions. Wait right here. Excuse me, boys,” he began hesitantly, approaching them. “Is it possible you saw this boy here…”
One of the boys smirked as Paul showed them a photo of Clark. “Your son arrived at the wrong place at the wrong time!” he shouted. “Your son should not have come!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
Paul looked intently at the teen, then at his friends. In those robes, they all appeared nothing but dumb, and they’d been burning what appeared to be their grade cards.
“Oh really?” he asked, putting his phone in his back pocket. “Well…” Paul grabbed the boy’s collar and yanked him forward.
“Listen, kid; You’d better speak out, or you’re going home with a broken nose!”
“Woah, woah, okay! Relax!” the boy Paul had warned said. “I’m…I’m Chad! And I saw your son. We did nothing to him! Mr. Bowen, the graveyard guard, grabbed him.”
“What?”
“He… he took your son, sir. I swear. He lives right outside the cemetery! We just come here every night to scare people, that’s all!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
***
When Paul and Linda arrived at Mr. Bowen’s cottage, they noticed Clark and Mr. Bowen seated on a sofa through the window. The parents wanted to burst inside and hug their son but stopped in their tracks when they overheard him talking.
Paul and Linda were embarrassed. They listened in tears and shock as Clark spoke about his heart’s worries, and Mr. Bowen advised him to reconcile with his parents. “They still adore you, little boy,” the older man said. “Look, kid. I lost my wife and child. Their plane crashed, and I’ve lived in this nightmare for years, missing them every single day and night. What’s happened in your family is any parent’s worst nightmare come true. How about we be kinder to them?”
Clark agreed, nodding at some point.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
Instead of grieving the loss of what you don’t have, take the opportunity to appreciate what you do have.
Paul and Linda could no longer wait.
“I’m so sorry, honey!” Linda cried as she and Paul stormed into the cottage. She held her boy close as her tears flowed freely.
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Unsplash
Paul looked at Mr. Bowen apologetically and thanked him for saving Clark. “Thank you,” he said. “Thank you so much for what you did for our family just now.”
“No problem. I know the hell you’re going through. So, I understand. Hang in there.”
Eventually, Mr. Bowen became the Wesenbergs’ close friend. In months, idyll returned to this family’s household. They could heal from Ted’s loss and finally look at life positively.
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