When Thelma Harris was just a year old, her father, Thomas, left her and her mother, Erin. Erin, once a lively and cheerful woman, was devastated by Thomas’s departure but fought hard for Thelma’s future. Erin worked as an international flight attendant, which meant she was often away from home. Unable to care for Thelma full-time, she placed her in a local orphanage in Atlanta, Georgia.
Thelma only saw her mother during her yearly vacations, making her feel lonely, even though the other children were envious that she at least had a mother. To cope with her isolation, Thelma developed an interest in painting, which later became her passion. However, when she expressed her desire to pursue arts in college, her mother disapproved, wanting her to take up medicine instead. This disagreement led to a heated argument, and Thelma decided to leave her mother and move to Savannah to chase her dream.
After 16 years without contact, Thelma, now 32 and a successful CEO of a design firm, decided to return to the orphanage where she grew up, hoping to reconcile with her mother. Despite several obstacles on her journey, including a broken-down taxi, she managed to get a ride to Atlanta from a kind stranger named Curtis.
Upon arriving at the orphanage, Thelma was warmly greeted by Sister Julie, who informed her that her mother had been deeply worried after she left. As they were talking, a young girl named Cindy entered the room. Thelma was shocked to see that Cindy looked exactly like her as a child.
Sister Julie revealed that Cindy was Thelma’s younger sister, born after Erin remarried a man named Kevin. However, Erin faced more heartache when Kevin abandoned her, and she later tragically died in a plane crash. The orphanage took Cindy in after Erin’s death, and she had been living there ever since.
Overwhelmed with guilt for not contacting her mother sooner, Thelma vowed not to repeat her past mistakes. She filed for guardianship of Cindy, determined to take care of her sister and make amends. A month later, Thelma brought Cindy home, and the two began a new chapter of their lives together.
Years passed, and Thelma’s bond with Cindy grew stronger. Cindy, now 15, was inspired by their late mother’s wish and decided to pursue medicine. Meanwhile, Thelma’s career flourished, and she expanded her business across several states. She also found love with Curtis, the man who had helped her that fateful night. They eventually married, building a new life together with Cindy.