Grace Washington wanted something better for her daughter than she had had for herself, so she pushed Daria to excel academically, in sports, and in her music. Grace was going to make sure that Daria had a chance at a better life.

Grace’s plan for her daughter’s future seemed to be ruined when the 16-year-old Daria broke some shocking news to her mom. “Mom,” she said in a frightened, trembling voice, “I’m pregnant.”

“PREGNANT!” shouted Grace angrily. “You stupid girl! Do you want to ruin your life? Look at me! I was a teenage mother and my life is hell.”

“Mama,” whispered Daria, “I spoke to my school counselor and she said I could still finish high school, have my baby, and go to college…There are programs.”

“You told some stranger first before you talked to your mama?” screamed Grace. “Does this counselor put food on the table? Tell me that! Is she going to wipe that child’s butt? Get up for 3 am feeds?”

“No mama, but…” Daria said nervously.

“There are no buts, here, Daria. You’re not keeping that child. You have a scholarship to Julliard because of that there violin, and they’re not going to be wanting you with a sack of diapers in your hand and a baby on your back.”

Daria was crying. “No, mama, I want my baby!”

“You don’t know what you want, Daria,” Grace cried, “I’ll tell you what you want, and it ain’t some snotty-nosed brat on your tit while I pay the bills! You’re going to give that baby for adoption to some good family, and you’re going to have a future.”

Grace wanted the best for her daughter and she believed that giving up her baby was the only way to safeguard her future.

And so when her baby was born four months later, Daria gave her baby away and signed the papers. Two months later she was in college. The pain of losing her baby would come late at night when she couldn’t sleep.

In those dark hours, her arms and her breasts would ache, she could smell the baby’s sweet scent. She’d whisper the baby’s secret name to herself, “Melody,” and smile even as the tears ran down her cheeks.

But Grace was right about one thing, Daria was enormously talented and by the time she was 26 she was a star soloist traveling all over the world, playing her violin with some of the greatest conductors and prestigious orchestras.

When she was 34, Daria met a man who made her smile, a kind, quiet man and she fell in love. Daria and Robert married and talked about starting a family. Daria gave up her touring and concentrated on recording, expecting she’d be pregnant very soon.

But the pregnancy just didn’t happen. Robert and Daria consulted fertility specialists and tried IVF, but nothing worked. After four years, Daria was at breaking point. All she could think about was the baby she’d given up.

“God is punishing me,” she told her mother bitterly, “I gave His gift away, now He won’t give me another.”

“Calm down, Daria,” said Grace. “You did what you had to do and look at your life. You have a wonderful career, a good man…”

“And no baby, mama, I want a baby!” Daria cried.

“We can’t have everything we want! You just be grateful to God for what you have!” Grace said sharply.

“I had a baby, mama, and I wanted her and you made me give her away!” Daria sobbed.

“It was for your own good! My mama turned me out of the house when I was pregnant with you, so you were lucky!” Grace said.

“LUCKY? Because you didn’t turn me out on the streets? Mama, you could have helped me. I could have done it all with your help. All you had to do was help…” Daria had tears running down her face. “You could have HELPED!”

That night, Grace couldn’t sleep. Her daughter’s words kept echoing through her mind. “I could have helped,” she said to herself. “Instead I bullied a frightened little girl into doing what I wanted. And I knew how to do it because I’d been a frightened little girl too…”

Two months later, Grace phoned Daria and invited her to lunch in the city. “What’s up, mama?” asked Daria.

“Nothin’s up!” cried Grace. “Can’t a mother have lunch with her daughter?”

Three days later, Daria walked into the restaurant to find her mother chatting to a young woman with long chestnut hair, dark eyes, and a hauntingly familiar smile. Grace jumped up and gripped Daria’s hand.

“Baby, I want you to meet Brianne,” Grace said, and the young woman smiled nervously.

“I’m a huge fan,” the girl said. “I’m a violinist too, I have all your records. I’ve been dreaming about meeting you…”

“That’s nice,” said Daria. “Always nice to meet a fan…”

“Brianne is not a fan, Daria, she’s your daughter,” said Grace, and Daria felt the room spin madly under her feet.

“My daughter…” she whispered, staring at the girl, her eyes, her smile, “Melody…”

Brianne helped Daria sit down. “Grace told me you didn’t want to give me up, that she made you. But I want you to know that I have wonderful parents, a lovely life. All I’ve been wanting is to meet you.”

“I love you so much,” said Daria, “I never wanted to lose you!”

“I know,” Brianne said quietly, “But now we’re together. My mother is my mom, but you can be a motherly friend.”

“You play the violin too?” asked Daria, laughing and crying at the same time. “You get that from me…”

That afternoon, Daria found her daughter again, and Grace found peace and redemption. Six months later, Daria made a wonderful discovery: she was pregnant. Her life had come full circle once again.

What can we learn from this story?

1. Good intentions don’t make us right. Grace wanted the best for her daughter and she believed that giving up her baby was the only way to safeguard her future.

2. When you make a mistake, admit it and make amends.

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If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a man who left his elderly widowed mother homeless.

This account is inspired by a subscriber’s story. All names have been changed to protect identities and ensure privacy. If you would like to share your story with us, please send it to info@amomama.com