When Felix notices his elderly neighbor laboring to cut her overgrown lawn, he runs to assist. As a show of her appreciation, she forces an intriguing antique box on him, but the present gets Felix in hot water when her lawyer calls to request an urgent appointment. Felix was going over the monthly stats for his handyman business when he was distracted by the growl of a lawnmower.

He looked out his kitchen window and was surprised to find the old Mrs. McAllister attempting to operate her lawnmower with one hand while using her cane with the other.Mrs. McAllister was flushed and sweating excessively when Felix caught up with her. She turned off the lawnmower.”Felix…is there…something…I can help…you with?” she let out a sigh.

“Please step aside and allow me to assist you!” Mrs. McAllister, your son should be assisting you with these responsibilities. It’s not ethical to leave your elderly mother to struggle alone.Mrs. McAllister invited Felix inside for a glass of lemonade after a long morning of cutting and raking the tall, soggy grass. The dusty mess of knick-knacks, grime, and cobwebs in her home astounded him.

Felix had the impression that his sweet neighbor was unable to care for herself any longer. “Here you go, dear.” Mrs. McAllister set the table with a glass of lemonade. “I’d also like you to have this.” It’s an antique passed down through my family.” Felix scowled as she held out the metal box. It was quite weighty and featured a strange set of dials on the lid.

“I don’t need a fancy gift for such a simple task, Mrs. McAllister.” Felix returned the box to her. Mrs. McAllister shook her head, disappointed. She demanded he take something to make up for his hardships and returned with a grocery bag full of apples for his daughter, Suzie. She collapsed into her armchair with a loud grunt, apparently fatigued.

Felix insisted on Mrs. McAllister calling him the next time she needed assistance and then left her to relax. Suzie raced up to Felix later that day, beaming with delight. “Dad, look what I found under the apples Mrs. McAllister gave us!” She displayed the same weird metal box to him. “I think these dials are a combination lock, but I can’t open it.”

“I’m sorry, Suzie, I know you love old puzzle boxes and things, but we aren’t keeping this.” He extended his hand for the package. “I’m going to return it to Mrs. McAllister.” Suzie was furious, but Felix insisted. He returned with the package to Mrs. McAllister’s house, but she did not answer the door. He tried the door doorknob with a frustrated grunt.

He called to Mrs. McAllister that he was on his way in to safely return her box, then entered inside. Mrs. McAllister was slouched in her armchair. Her eyes were blind and vacant as she stared at the wall.”Mrs. McAllister!” Felix yelled as he dashed to her side, but it was too late: Mrs. McAllister had vanished.Felix had forgotten about the box until he noticed it was in his pocket.

On a whim, he looked for comparable antique boxes online. When he finally found a match, he swore. This box was valued at $250,000! Felix didn’t want to keep the box, but he couldn’t return it because the money would insure Suzie’s future. He had no choice but to sell it for Suzie’s sake. Meanwhile, Felix kept the box in a secure location. Felix received an unusual phone call a few days later.

“I’m Tim, Mrs. McAllister’s attorney. I’d want to schedule a meeting with you as soon as possible. “Are you available right now?”Felix was dubious of Tim’s eagerness, but he agreed to meet the lawyer in a cafe in town. Despite his apprehension, he was intrigued as to why Tim wanted to see him. When he arrived, he was perplexed to see Mrs. McAllister’s son, Henry, seated at a table with the man who had to be Tim.

When Felix joined them, Henry stared at him. “I’ll go right to the point, Felix. My mother’s house has lost a valuable artifact, a little box with dials on the lid. I wanted to give you an opportunity to do the right thing because you were the last person in her house.” “You think I stole from your mother?” Felix screamed. “Mrs. McAllister gave the box to me as thanks for cutting her grass—a chore you should’ve done for her!”

“Mom would never have given you that box!” Henry jabbed his finger in the direction of Felix. “It was commissioned by a famous artisan for my great-great-grandfather, a well-known politician!” There are only two in the world! You will return the package to me, and I will pay you $1000 for it. Deal?”

“No.” Felix took a step forward. “When I put it up for auction, you’re welcome to participate in the bidding.” “Bye, Henry.” Felix traveled to a nearby auction house the next day to have the box assessed. Mr. Whitaker, an earnest man with a snobbish accent, beckoned him into a back room for the appraisal. Ellen, another woman, joined them.

“I can immediately verify that the craftsmen’s mark on the underside is authentic,” Mr. Whitaker said in a statement. “That means this is a significant piece, sir.” There are only two in the world.” Ellen leaned in to inspect the box. “That’s quite wonderful…”May I see your proof of provenance?” “Excuse me?” Felix inquired.

A muscle in the woman’s cheek trembled. “You need to provide a certificate of authentication, or any verifiable document that proves the artifact’s authenticity and your ownership.” Felix lied, “Uh…I left all that stuff at home.” He was dissatisfied with the direction this appraisal had taken. He proceeded toward the door, taking the box from the table. “I’ll fetch it and be right back.”

“We can’t let you do that.” Ellen took a step back to block his passage to the door.”We are obliged to notify the authorities of any…irregularities concerning items tied to historical figures.” Felix became terrified. He hurried into the corridor, dodging the woman and Mr. Whitaker. He arrived at the reception area just as an alarm went off.

As he dodged and slipped past guards rushing to stop him, Felix felt like he was back on his high school football field. One grabbed his arm, but he yanked it free and dashed out of the building and onto the street. He ran until his legs felt like jelly from there. Felix strolled across his living room, pondering his next move. He needed to sell the box in order to invest in Suzie’s future, but he couldn’t do it without some sort of documentation.

He wished he could inquire about it with Mrs. McAllister. She’d know exactly what documentation he needed to verify provenance and would almost certainly be able to furnish them as well. Felix came to a halt when he realized there might be a method to sell the box. He didn’t want to do it, but he didn’t have an option.

Felix took several important items from his toolboxes and then went to the garage to get his boltcutter. Felix slipped out after Suzie went to bed that night and broke into Mrs. McAllister’s residence to look for the documents he wanted. As Felix entered Mrs. McAllister’s bedroom, a shiver ran down his spine. In here, it still smelled like her.

He pushed himself to continue looking into her personal space, which felt uncomfortable and invasive. When the bedroom light switched on, he was halfway across the room. “Not so high and mighty now, are you Felix?” Henry yelled from the front door. Felix shifted his weight. As Henry held his phone up to take shots of Felix, the flash flashed in his eyes.

Felix covered his face with his palm. “This isn’t what it appears to be, Henry. All I need is—” “The documentation for the box, I know.” Henry grinned. “Because my family has a known connection to that box, the auction house contacted me after you tried to defraud them.” Of course, I informed them that you had stolen it—”

“That’s a lie!” “But you can’t prove ownership without proper documentation.” Henry crossed his arms and stepped forward, filling the doorway. “You also can’t sell it.” I’ll give you until 8 a.m. tomorrow to turn it in, or I’ll call the cops.” Felix escaped Mrs. McAllister’s residence as Henry stood aside. The repercussions he now faced were crushing. He wished he’d left the box at Mrs. McAllister’s house the day she died.

But she’d wanted it for him! Felix didn’t think Henry would keep his word if he handed over the box. His mind was racing with ideas. He knew what he had to do by daylight. He summoned his mother, then roused Suzie and instructed her to hurriedly pack a bag. They were all standing at the front entrance a few hours later. He’d explained everything, and now it was time to say their goodbyes.

Suzie received the parcel from Felix. “Sell it as soon as possible.” Please don’t accept anything less than $100,000 for it. This is the only way to break out of this mess while still living your life to the fullest.” Felix clutched his daughter tightly, tears welling up in his eyes. Saying goodbye to her was one of the most difficult things he’d ever done.

“Promise me you’ll live a good life, Suzie,” he asked, looking her in the eyes. “Study hard so that you can make a name for yourself, and travel so that you can see what the world has to offer.” Take care of your grandmother…Family is vital, and the elderly ought to be treated with dignity.”

In the distance, police sirens wailed. It was 8:30 a.m., which was half an hour after Henry’s deadline. He had a feeling the sirens were coming for him. As the police sirens became louder, he watched Mom and Suzie pull out of the driveway. When the cops nabbed him, he found some solace in knowing they were out of this mess.

Despite Henry’s threats, Felix’s claims were hampered by legal nuances. Because the box was now gone, critical aspects of Henry’s case were in jeopardy. Felix was held in a holding cell for four months while awaiting his court date. A guard informed him one day that his bail had been posted.

Felix was completely perplexed. He followed the man to the front of the prison, where Suzie awaited him. They went for a walk outside together. Mom was waiting for them at the curb. “All right, Suzie, I can’t wait any longer,” Felix stated as they climbed into the car. “What’s going on?”

“Well, I didn’t listen to you about the box.” Suzie gave a sheepish grin. “Instead, I discovered how to open it.” It contained an authenticity certificate and a note from Mrs. McAllister. She was desperate for you to have that box, Dad. “As stated in the note.” Felix smirked. He couldn’t understand Mrs. McAllister’s desire that he take the box, but Suzie wasn’t done yet, so he didn’t have much time to think about it.

“So I showed the note to your lawyer, and then I took the box with all the papers to an antique dealer.” Suzie smiled widely. “He gave us enough money for it to post bail and we still have $100,000 left!” Share your thoughts on this story with us and your friends. It might inspire them and make their day brighter.