We all wish for the best for our children. Best education, the best nutrition, and with no doubt, we wish for them to find the best partner in the world for their life journey. And Amilia’s parents were no exception. They wanted the best for her too.
They planned for her to marry into a wealthy family as they were very rich in their own right, but when Amilia introduced the new guy she was dating, things didn’t quite live up to their expectations.
Amilia and Brandon
The relationship between Amilia and Brandon, her new boyfriend, was blooming. This was not just a rebound or a short summer romance. Amilia considered Brandon as spectacular marriage material. It was getting serious.
They were madly in love, they shared the same dreams and it didn’t matter to them how much money each side had. It was mainly Amilia’s parents who turned the dollars into an issue. Soon enough, things were about to take a new lane.
The Big Question
They were together for almost two years before the big question was popped. Amilia was delighted and full of joy. This was the happiest time of her life. Brandon’s family too were very happy about the big news.
Only Amilia’s family didn’t give their blessing. They couldn’t see what Amilia saw and didn’t approve of the match. They had their doubts and didn’t make an effort in hiding them.
They Couldn’t Accept Him
It wasn’t so much the fact that Brandon’s parents weren’t as wealthy as they were, it was more his father’s occupation that was embarrassing in their eyes and made them ashamed that this was their daughter’s choice.
You see, Brandon’s father was a janitor. Just a simple janitor. Most people couldn’t care less but Amilia’s parents saw this as being the end of the world.
Amilia came from a very successful family. Her great-grandfather immigrated here and started his own business. He was a hard worker who earned every single penny with his bare hands. Even today, his company is still family-owned.
He made his family extremely rich. Rich in a way that Amilia was given everything she ever wished for, anything money could buy. She was also well brought up with values and respect as money never played a significant role in her life. She didn’t care much about it. For Brandon, things were different.
Everyone in Amilia’s family ‘married in’. The money went to money. Their biggest concern was some freeloader taking a ride on their wealth, so they made sure they knew exactly who was marrying who for what reason.
No one could really blame them as they wanted to maintain the lifestyle and luxury they were all brought up in and this was kind of an unwritten law in the family.
Initially, Amilia was going to plan her wedding on her own. That way she wouldn’t need her parents to approve. She wasn’t planning on not inviting them, however, they could only arrive as guests, without taking part in the decisions.
Amilia’s mother offered to pay for the entire wedding and the young couple accepted this offer with no hesitation. A wedding these days costs an arm and a leg so when an offer like this comes your way, you grab onto it. Little did they know, Amilia’s mother wasn’t offering to pay because of her generosity and wanting to do a good deed.
Amilia’s mother took the big day as an opportunity to show off their wealth in front of Brandon’s poor and less fortunate family. She believed that by this, she would claim her dominance in the family.
Amilia’s mother insisted on meeting Brandon’s parents at their house. She wanted to take advantage of the situation and rub their faces with how rich they were and how beautiful their house was.
Amilia’s parents had no guilt trip, they didn’t feel bad, not even for one minute. All they cared about was how to present everything they had in the most luxurious way.
The set date for introducing the inlaws arrived. Amilia’s parents dressed in their finest clothes while Brandon’s father came casually in his work clothes. Yes, he arrived in his janitor’s uniform.
Amilia’s parent’s reaction to his appearance was soon heard. They deliberately laughed loud enough so he could hear, and gave their remarks close enough to his ears. Amilia’s parents were under the impression that their mission had been accomplished, and that they had driven Brandon’s father to the ground.
They All Chipped in
Amilia and Brandon were so disappointed and couldn’t believe her parents would go so low. The last thing they expected was Nicolai, Brandon’s father, to show up at the wedding.
During the days before the big day, Brandon’s mother and sister offered to help. Nicolai wasn’t seen or heard of. Brandon’s family started to doubt if he would show up to the wedding at all.
Amilia was feeling Down. The biggest day of her life was here and her future father-in-law wasn’t by the couple’s side. Soon enough, Nicolai arrived dressed in a rented suit and a brand-new pair of shoes. He really went out of his way to fit in and look respectable.
Here Came the Bride
The wedding ceremony began. Both sets of parents were seated in the front row. They didn’t speak to each other, let alone look at each other, and one could cut the atmosphere with a knife.
The ceremony was over and done with. No casualties. No one objected, no one said a word, however, none of the family members were happy as you’d expect families to be happy on a wedding day. Saying all that, Amilia wasn’t surprised and this was what she expected.
Amilia and Brandon embraced their day and accepted the fact that their parents will probably never be the best of friends.
Gift Ceremony
When the gift ceremony started, Amilia’s mother made sure that Nicolai, Brandon’s father, was last. If he is going to make a fool out of himself and embarrass the rest of the family, let him do it after everyone has presented their gift. Amilia’s mother wanted Nicolai’s gift to underwhelm the rest. In any case, whatever it was, it wouldn’t be as valuable as the rest. He was a janitor for God’s sake.
Amilia’s parents bought Brandon a new motorbike, which seemed odd at first, however, Amilia didn’t want to make a fuss about it. Her mother was about to do anything to win superiority in the extended family.
Nicolai came with a very small box in his hand. A small box with something even smaller inside that would soon cast a dark shadow on all of the other gifts.
When Amelia’s mother found out what it was, she knew that she had lost. She knew that there was nothing she could buy that would overcome Nicolai’s gift. He gave his daughter in law and her beloved husband a gift that showed just how much he cared about them.
He gave them the most simple thing, yet with the most significance. He gave them a small sign to hang outside of their door and it said; “Welcome to the residence of Amilia and Brandon Parker”. It was handmade. By Nicolai. It was priceless.
So, as it turns out, there was much more to the door sign than just being a door sign. The engravement said it all and Nicolai knew it. He put a lot of thought into it before deciding that this was going to be the gift.
Without realizing it, not only did Nicolai give Amilia and Brandon a priceless gift that no money in the world could ever buy, but he also gave a few other people a good lesson in life. He proved that there are things in life that money cannot buy and there are people in this world, that hide a lot of precious gifts, underneath their janitor’s uniform.
