She held the ring delicately in her hands and looked up at the jeweler in shock. This was one of the last things she had belonging to her mother. He was speaking slowly so every word would sink but there was no way it was true!
The words he was saying slowly began to sink in and Lydia realized that she might not know her mother at all.
Growing Up With Memories
Lydia’s mother had passed away suddenly from a mysterious illness, and only left her a few items to remember her with. She had been a single parent and the two were always very close.
The one item that Lydia kept with her every day was her mother’s ring. She would wear it and loved having it close by. This ring was about to unlock a secret past that Lydia never knew about the woman she had lost so many years ago.
A Tough Childhood
Lydia and her mother had to save up every month to make the rent and bills. As a child, Lydia never realized the extent of her mother's struggles until she was an adult herself.
When Lydia was an adult, she and her husband always had to work hard to make ends meet. What would her husband say when he realized they had a fortune under their roof the entire time…
An Absent Father
Lydia’s father left before she had a chance to meet him. Her mother had told her that when she revealed her pregnancy the man quickly left the relationship. Lydia never felt angry but she always had questions about who this man was and where he was now.
As an adult, Lydia loved her mother's ring and thought about her every day. One morning, she picked up the ring and was devastated to notice a crack. She immediately went to a jewelry store but when they saw the ring they immediately threatened to call the police!
Too Busy For Romance
Lydia’s mother, Sara never remarried and instead dedicated her entire life to taking care of her daughter. She worked two jobs and made sure that Lydia always had a safe home and food on the table.
When Lydia became a teenager, she got a part-time job to help her mother and ease the stress. It was too late for Lydia to save her mother but she could change her own future with one simple decision.
A Devastating Year
When Lydia turned 24 she noticed her mother’s health was failing. When they went to the hospital the doctors told them Sara’s body was failing and they would do everything possible to make her comfortable.
The two women had done everything possible to put money aside but now they needed to dip into their savings for Sara’s treatment. Lydia was willing to give every dollar she had to make her mother comfortable, but in the end, it wouldn’t be enough.
Preparing To Say Goodbye
The doctors finally told Lydia she should prepare to say goodbye to her mother. Lydia was an only child and didn’t know her mother’s extended family. She felt like an orphan losing her mother and couldn’t handle the deep feelings of grief.
A saving grace for Lydia was her boyfriend John. She had met him before her mother got sick and he became a rock for her during the difficult time. After Lydia lost her mother, she didn’t know if she had the ability to love anyone. John took a risk and asked a big question….
Her Aunt Had One Burning Question
At the funeral, Lydia’s aunt had many questions about where her sister’s ring was. She wanted Lydia to hand the ring over to her but the young woman refused to give the ring up. She couldn’t believe her aunt's behavior and was glad when she left the funeral without saying goodbye.
John held Lydia close and told her she could always count on him. It felt like the world was closing in on Lydia but there was a small light at the end of the tunnel….
The Ring Had An Interesting History
Lydia liked to look at the ring and remember the interesting history her mother had told her. When Sara was 12 years old she was working as a cleaner and was often in very affluent families' homes.
She would tell Lydia how every day she would stare at all the beautiful things and then one day made an impromptu decision. Her mother had stolen the ring and kept it until her death. When the ring fell apart, it unraveled more about Lydia’s mother's life and history.
Who Did The Ring Belong To Before?
Lydia’s mother had stolen the ring from an abusive woman. She was constantly attacking the young cleaner and even hitting her when she noticed a mistake. Lydia’s mother needed the money and couldn’t afford to stand up to the terrible woman.
Finally, she found a different family to work for and gave her notice to the horrible family. They didn’t handle the news well and immediately kicked Sara out on the curb. As she was leaving she stole the ring and never looked back into that dark time of her adolescence.
Lydia Looked Up To Her Mother
When Lydia was a child, she loved hearing the brave tale of how her mother stole the ring. She always pictured her mother being a fierce rebel and storming out of the house in flames of glory.
As an adult, Lydia wanted to know why her mother insisted on keeping the ring for all those years instead of selling it for money? The answer would rock Lydia’s entire being and make her question everything she thought she knew.
Starting Her Own Family
After Lydia’s mother passed away, she married John and the two welcomed a daughter, Sammy. Lydia loved being a mother and wished her daughter could have met her grandmother.
Lydia’s daughter also loved her mother’s ring. She began to tell the story of a little girl stealing the ring to keep her mother’s memory alive. One day while jogging, the delicate nature of the ring was threatened and nature quickly intervened.
The Fatal Accident
Lydia loved going for daily jogs and was running the trail when she tripped and sprained her ankle. She hadn’t been watching where she was going and it was a small rock that sent her tumbling to the ground.
Lydia tried to break her fall but it was too late the hand wearing her mother's ring received the full force of gravity. When she looked down at her hand, she felt a fresh wave of grief looking at the broken ring.
Getting To A Jeweler ASAP
Lydia showed the ring to her husband and he said she should go to a jeweler immediately. She rushed to the closest one and was relieved when they assured her they could fix the ring.
Lydia took the ring out from her purse and the jeweler’s face changed from compassion to shock. Suddenly the jeweler had a lot more questions about Lydia’s ring, but the answers were buried deep underground with her mother.
It Was Hidden Deep In The Archives
The jewelry store was a family-run business. The man standing with Lydia had taken over the store after his father had passed away. This ring was a unique gold band and he recognized one specific detail.
The serial number was still on the inside of the band. The jeweler would recognize his father’s work instantly! He stormed into the back of the shop and returned with a thick book of records. Lydia was feeling more confused by the second but her world was about to turn upside down.
The Story Was A Lie
The jeweler asked her again where her mother got this ring and Lydia finally revealed the true origin of the story. It had happened over fifty years ago, but she felt bad telling someone her mother had stolen the ring.
The jeweler began to laugh. He calmly told Lydia, “Your mother didn’t steal the ring from a client, she stole the ring from my shop!” Lydia gasped and told the man that was impossible, but he had iron-clad evidence.
Every Ring Is Carefully Labelled
The ring’s serial number is unique to that piece of jewelry. The owner of the store knew he recognized the numbers and flipped back through pages until he came to an entry from 1968. Lydia was amazed, this was her birth year.
The jeweler watched as Lydia absorbed the information but then her face fell and the woman began to cry. If she told the jeweler her mother’s story would he continue to press charges?
Completely Abandoned
Lydia began to explain in that year, she was born, and her mother was left by Lydia's father to care for her alone. She was frantic for cash and money and in her desperation had stolen the ring.
Lydia assumes at the time her mother meant to sell the ring, but then grew attached and wanted to leave something for her daughter when they had nothing. As she spoke about her mother and their relationship, the jeweler’s face softened, and he began to understand an important detail.
His Father Always Spoke About "The Tiny Thief"
The jeweler remembers his father realizing the ring had been stolen and talking to his young son about who had been in the shop that day. They both remembered her mother carrying a young infant while walking around the store.
His father at first had been enraged but when they thought about the infant in the young woman’s arms they understood a mother will do anything to protect her family. Lydia realized she would never understand the sacrifices her mother made to keep her safe and happy.
A Full Circle Ending
The jeweler agreed to fix the ring free of charge, and the two adults had a special bond from that day forward. Lydia could not afford expensive things but she would usually drop off a pie at the jewelry store every week for him and his family.
Over time, it didn’t matter where the ring had come from. All that mattered was one mother who loved her daughter so much she would do anything possible to provide a life for her.