After my wife passed away, I don’t get to see my daughter as often as I’d like, but we make sure to talk every single day. For my 80th birthday, all I wanted was to surprise her with a visit. So, I hopped into my car and drove to her home, excited to see the look on her face. When she opened the door, her expression wasn’t quite what I expected—it was a mix of surprise and worry.
“Dad, what are you doing here?” she asked, her voice trembling.
“I wanted to spend my birthday with you,” I said, smiling warmly, hoping to lighten the mood.
Her face shifted, and she seemed unsure. “Dad, now isn’t really a good time. I’m really tied up with something.”
I tried to hide my disappointment and offered, “That’s okay. I can just sit on the sofa and wait until you’re free.”
But instead of agreeing, she grew more anxious, almost pushing me out. “No, Dad, you really need to go.”
Confused and a little hurt, I walked back to my car. Something didn’t feel right. As I glanced back at her house, I noticed movement through the living room window. My heart sank as I saw two unfamiliar people moving around inside, clearly in a panic. Who were they? Why was my daughter so tense?
Alarmed, I immediately called the police. Within minutes, officers arrived and carefully approached the house. What followed was tense, but eventually, they led the strangers out in handcuffs. My daughter followed, her face streaked with tears.
“Dad, I’m so sorry,” she sobbed, rushing into my arms. “Those men broke in right before you got here. I didn’t want them to hurt you, so I tried to keep you away.”
Relief surged through me, and I hugged her tightly. “It’s okay, my dear. The important thing is that you’re safe.”
After giving our statements to the police, who assured us that the intruders would be held accountable, we finally sat down together on the sofa where I had initially planned to wait. Despite the scare, we spent the rest of the day together. It turned out to be the most memorable birthday I could’ve asked for, knowing how much my daughter was willing to do to protect me.