By: Jean Boonstra
Have you ever had a surprise surprise birthday present? In Season 18 of Discovery Mountain called Faith Ripple, Haddie gets a big surprise for her birthday. And it’s bittersweet.
Haddie walked up to her Uncle George’s house. Her feet bounced with every step. Today was her birthday!
“Hi Uncle George,” Haddie said bouncing up the steps to his house.
Uncle George wasn’t smiling. He looked nervous. “Haddie, we need to talk,” he said.
Suddenly Haddie felt worried. “Is everything alright?” she asked.
“Let’s sit down on the steps,” her Uncle George said.
Haddie sat down next to him, but she didn’t take her eyes off of his face. “Uncle George, you’re worrying me,” she said.
“Oh, please don’t worry,” her Uncle George said, as smiled nervously. “I just want to do this right. Your parents would want me to.”
“My parents?” Haddie asked, confused.
Haddie watched as her Uncle George reached into his coat pocket and took out a white envelope. “Today is your twenty-fifth birthday,” he said.
“Yes, I remember,” Haddie said with a smile.
He handed her the envelope.
“Thank you, Uncle George,” Haddie said and started to open it.
“Wait!” he exclaimed.
“Okay,” Haddie agreed and stopped.
“When your parents died, you were so young,” Uncle George started to explain. “Losing your parents was terrible.”
“I know,” Haddie said remembering. “I was barely two years old. I don’t really remember a lot of that time.”
“I know,” Uncle George said gently. “Haddie your parents had a plan to take care of you.”
“Oh I remember,” Haddie answered. “The whole family took care of me. I loved spending my summers here in Discovery Mountain.”
Uncle George didn’t seem to be listening. “Haddie, your parents had a life insurance policy,” he finally said.
“They did?” Haddie asked, surprised.
“Yes, and after they died I set things up just as they had asked me to,” he continued.
Haddie crinkled her eyebrows in confusion. “Set what up?”
Uncle George shifted on the steps and turned towards her. “Haddie,” he said seriously. “Inside that envelope is a check for a lot of money.”
“Really?” Haddie asked, shocked. “Why didn’t I know about this before?”
“Your parents didn’t want you to know. Not until your twenty-fifth birthday,” he explained.
“This is wonderful news,” she said. “Maybe I can finally afford to fix my old car.”
“Haddie, brace yourself,” Uncle George warned.
Haddie slowly started to open the envelope. “Oh, Uncle George you’re nervous for no reason. This is a wonderful birthday surprise.”
Haddie lifted the check out of the envelope. It was for a lot more money than she ever could have expected. She felt a little dizzy. “There are too many zeros,” she said staring at the piece of paper. “There must be some mistake!”
“Uncle George, I, ah…” Haddie didn’t know what to say.
Uncle George smiled nervously. “Surprise!” he said.
Haddie just received more money than she ever expected to see in her lifetime. What will she do with this birthday surprise? Will the money be a temptation for her, or will she use it to do good? Listen to all of Season 18 Faith Ripple at DiscoveryMountain.com to find out!