Stella was 85 years old and had never traveled before. So, navigating the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport felt overwhelming. Fortunately, the airline assigned her an attendant to help her through the process, and soon enough, they reached her flight to New York.
When she boarded the plane, a businessman sitting in the seat next to her refused to believe she had a valid ticket, even after seeing her boarding pass. The flight attendant, visibly frustrated with him, turned to Stella with a kind smile and reassured her, “No, ma’am, you paid for this seat, and you deserve to sit here, no matter what anyone says.” The flight attendant then turned back to the man and firmly threatened to call airport security if he didn’t comply. He sighed in defeat, allowing Stella to sit beside him.
As the plane took off, Stella was so nervous that she accidentally dropped her purse. Surprisingly, the man next to her, despite his earlier rudeness, helped her gather her things. When her ruby locket fell out, the man whistled in admiration.
“Wow, this is something else,” he said, examining it.
“What do you mean?” Stella asked.
“I’m an antique jeweler, and this locket is incredibly valuable. Those are real rubies, aren’t they?” the man replied, handing the locket back.
Stella took it from him, looking at it fondly. “Honestly, I have no idea. My father gave it to my mother many years ago, and she passed it down to me when he didn’t return home.”
The man, now showing genuine interest, introduced himself. “I’m Franklin Delaney, by the way. I’m sorry about earlier—I’ve been going through some tough times and shouldn’t have acted that way. Can I ask what happened to your father?”
Stella nodded, understanding his curiosity. “My father was a fighter pilot during World War II. He left for the war when America joined, but before he did, he gave this locket to my mother as a promise that he would return. They loved each other deeply. I was only four years old, but I remember that day vividly. Unfortunately, he never came back.”
“That’s heartbreaking,” Franklin responded.
“Yes, it was. My mother was never the same after that. We struggled to make ends meet, but even in our hardest times, she never considered selling this locket. She gave it to me when I was ten and told me to treasure it. I’ve gone through financial difficulties myself, but I could never part with it. Its real value is in here,” she said with a smile, opening the locket.
Inside were two pictures: one of her parents, and another of a baby. “These are my parents. Look how in love they were,” she said nostalgically.
Franklin nodded, taking in the sentimental value of the locket. “And the baby?” he asked, curious.
“That’s my son,” Stella replied softly. “And he’s actually the reason I’m on this flight.”
“You’re going to see him?” Franklin inquired.
“Not exactly,” she said, her eyes filled with emotion. “You see, I had my son when I was in my 30s. I was struggling—his father disappeared, and I didn’t have the resources to raise him alone. My mother had already passed away, so I made the difficult decision to give him up for adoption, knowing it was the best thing for him.”
Franklin furrowed his brow. “Did you ever reconnect with him?”
Stella sighed. “I tried. A few years ago, I found him through one of those DNA tests. I had a neighbor help me send him an email, but when he replied, he said he didn’t need me in his life. I tried a few more times to reach out, but he never answered my emails again.”
“So why are you on this flight?” Franklin asked, still puzzled.
Stella smiled through the sadness. “My son, Josh, is the pilot of this flight. Today is his birthday—he was born on January 22, 1973. I might not have much time left, and I wanted to spend at least one of his birthdays near him. This is the only way I could think to do it.”
Franklin wiped away a tear that had escaped, touched by her story. What Stella didn’t realize was that some of the flight attendants and passengers had overheard her as well. A few minutes later, one of the stewardesses quietly slipped into the cockpit.
The five-hour flight seemed to pass quickly, and soon the pilot’s voice came over the intercom, announcing their descent into JFK. But before signing off, the pilot added, “I’d like everyone to welcome my birth mother, who is flying with me today for the first time. Hey, Mom, please wait for me after we land.”
Tears welled up in Stella’s eyes as Franklin gave her a warm smile, ashamed of how he had behaved earlier. The plane landed, and as soon as the pilot exited the cockpit, he rushed down the aisle toward Stella. Breaking protocol, he hugged her tightly, and the entire cabin erupted in applause.
As they embraced, John whispered in her ear, thanking her for making the hard decision all those years ago. He explained that after his initial email, he realized he wasn’t really angry with her, but he didn’t know how to respond. He apologized for his silence.
Stella, with tears streaming down her face, reassured him, “There’s nothing to be sorry for. I understand.”
And in that moment, the years of separation and unanswered questions melted away, as mother and son found peace in each other’s arms.