A little orphaned girl, Vicki, desperately sought help. She wrote letters to her deceased mother, begging her to take her away from her cruel aunt. One day, she finally got a response.
“We’re running late. Can you hurry up?” Carla, Vicki’s aunt, told her during her mother’s funeral. Vicki was laying a wreath on her mother’s grave. Carla impatiently grabbed her niece’s hand and pulled her to the car. Carla was still angry with her late sister and didn’t want to stay at the cemetery any longer.
Carla took Vicki in, but not out of love. The real reason was that Vicki was the sole heir to her mother’s property. Carla knew that adopting Vicki would allow her to eventually take control of everything her late sister once owned.
When Vicki arrived at her aunt’s grand mansion, it reminded her of the old, eerie houses she’d seen in books. But as she entered, the house didn’t feel welcoming at all.
Toys and dolls were scattered on the floor as Anna, Vicki’s 12-year-old cousin, stopped drawing. Carla, a single mother, lived with Anna in a house far from a busy neighborhood.
It was almost dinner, and Vicki was hungry. She missed her dog, Roger, who used to sit by her, waiting for treats during meals. But Roger wasn’t there.
“Where’s Roger? Didn’t you bring him?”
“My daughter is allergic to pets, so I sent him to an animal shelter.”
Vicki’s eyes filled with tears. She trusted her aunt when she said Roger would be fine. She pulled a chair to sit for dinner, but Carla suddenly stopped her.
“Didn’t your mother teach you manners? This is my house, and you follow my rules,” Carla said sternly.
“Bring us the plates and set the table. I’m feeding you, so be grateful. I’m your aunt, and I deserve respect for what your mother did to me. Now go… bring the food from the kitchen.”
Vicki’s heart raced as she ran to the kitchen, tears falling. No one had ever treated her so harshly. She set the table quietly and ate her meal in silence.
That night, Carla showed Vicki to her room—a small, dim storeroom. It had a simple bed in the corner with a tiny table for a lamp.
Vicki lay down, but she couldn’t sleep. She cried, thinking about how life had been so much better with her mom and Roger.
“Mommy, I miss you,” Vicki whispered through tears. “Please send Roger to me. I don’t like Aunt Carla. She’s making me cry.”
When she woke up, it was morning. She had cried herself to sleep.
Over time, Vicki adjusted to her new life. Every morning, she did the dishes and cleaned before school. Those school hours were her only peace.
She stopped spending time with friends and missed the fun times she used to have with her mom. Now, weekends were full of chores.
Carla and Anna spent their Sundays at restaurants and parks, never taking Vicki. She stayed behind, doing all the housework.
Carla created a list of chores for Vicki every Sunday. Her day started with washing dishes, scrubbing floors, and cleaning the garden. By the time she was done, it was already late afternoon.
“Everyone needs to learn hard work from a young age,” Carla would say. But her daughter Anna never had to lift a finger.
Anna did nothing and often asked Vicki for help, even with simple tasks like tying her shoes.
Vicki silently endured all of it. She knew Carla would always take Anna’s side, no matter what.
Then one day, things got worse. Anna demanded Vicki clean her dirty boots, but Vicki, exhausted, refused.
Furious, Anna grabbed a pair of scissors and cut Vicki’s long hair.
“Anna, what did you do?” Vicki cried. Her long hair was her mother’s gift to her, and now it was gone.
“Mommy, why are they so mean to me? What did I do?” Vicki sobbed, burying her face in her pillow. Then she had an idea.
She wrote a letter to her late mother, pouring out her heart.
“Dear Mommy, I hate living here. Aunt Carla and Anna are terrible. They make me do all the work. Anna cut my hair. I miss Roger. Please take me away. Love, Vicki.”
She sealed the letter and addressed it to “Mommy in Heaven.” The next day, on her way to school, she dropped it in the mailbox.
That afternoon, Vicki checked the mailbox. Her letter was gone! Days passed, but there was no reply. Vicki was sad but wrote another letter and mailed it again.
After weeks of waiting, she finally found a letter in the mailbox addressed to her. It said, “Hi, Vicki! Your mother can’t write back, but I’m her messenger. You’re not alone. I’ll meet you at your school gate tomorrow.”
“Who is this?” Vicki wondered.
The next day, a man waved at her near the school gate. It was Larry, the mailman.
“You’re my mom’s messenger?” she asked.
“Not exactly. But I’ve been reading your letters,” Larry replied.
“You didn’t see my mommy?”
“No, but I know she cares about you,” Larry said. “I’m here to help you. Let’s go to your aunt’s house.”
Larry’s words gave Vicki hope. When they arrived, Carla was shocked.
“Why are you late?” she demanded.
Larry calmly replied, “Mrs. Reggie, if you don’t stop mistreating your niece, I’ll have to call Child Protective Services.”
Carla tried to act innocent, but Larry knew the truth.
After Larry left, Carla was furious. She dragged Vicki to the dark cellar, knowing Vicki was scared of rats.
“Stay here until you apologize,” Carla yelled, locking her in.
Vicki cried, but Carla ignored her.
The next morning, Vicki woke to the cellar door opening. But it wasn’t Carla. A woman from CPS had come to rescue her.
Larry had called CPS after their visit. Carla had lied, but the CPS workers found Vicki in the basement.
Vicki was taken away to meet her new family. When they arrived, she was shocked.
“IT’S YOU!!” Vicki shouted, running toward Larry and his wife, Amanda. They welcomed her with open arms.
“ROGER!!” Vicki cried as her dog jumped into her arms. Larry had found him at the shelter after reading about him in Vicki’s letters.
A few months later, Larry and Amanda adopted Vicki. She finally had a loving family and a home full of joy.
