Amanda and the women at her book club quickly judged a pregnant 50-year-old woman without knowing the entire story. It was only when they learned the true nature of her pregnancy that they regretted their actions.
Amanda was in her 60s and happily single. She never married or had children, and to keep herself busy, she hosted a weekly neighborhood book club at her house every Saturday. Over the years, Amanda only got along with the people in her book club. She loved order, and whenever a neighbor’s child would break a flower pot or dirty her side of the street, she would get angry. Because of this, children were afraid of Amanda and avoided her yard, never offering her the baked goods and juices they sold every summer, which other neighbors happily supported.
One day, Amanda went to the grocery store and met Jane, a 50-year-old neighbor she hadn’t spoken to before. Jane was in one of the aisles, looking at junk food. “We shouldn’t be eating that kind of junk now that we’re older,” Amanda told her. Jane politely smiled and explained that her household always had chips available for their guests. Amanda shook her head and told her to buy organic ones instead.
Amanda always thought she knew best, and the entire neighborhood knew it. Instead of arguing with her to mind her own business, Jane thanked her for the suggestions. They met again at the checkout counter, and Amanda decided to invite Jane to their book club, which Jane accepted. That weekend, Jane showed up, following the club’s routine of discussing a book, eating sandwiches, drinking tea, and chatting. Jane attended for another two weeks before she started being absent. Amanda couldn’t believe that Jane would pass on the book club and was appalled that Jane didn’t answer her calls. A month passed, and Jane was still absent. Irked, Amanda asked the other women if they’d seen Jane, but they had not heard from her since she last attended.
Amanda shrugged off the thought and carried on until one day, she saw Jane walking down the street, caressing her round belly. The next day, Amanda couldn’t wait to tell the book club members what she’d seen. “I swear that Jane is pregnant!” she blurted out. Another woman chimed in, saying she also saw Jane that week and noticed her belly looked big. Amanda shook her head. “At her age, she should be babysitting her grandchildren, not giving birth! It’s disgusting!” Amanda said. Another elderly woman added, “What’s the baby going to call her? Grandma? Imagine going to parent-teacher conferences with gray hair while all the other moms are in their thirties.” The book club members laughed in agreement.
A couple of days later, Amanda saw Jane at the grocery store, caressing her round belly near a shelf of peanuts. Amanda, eager to learn the name of her baby’s father, decided to poke fun at Jane. “You know, pregnant women shouldn’t eat peanuts. It can cause allergies!” Amanda scoffed. Jane calmly replied that she wasn’t allergic and her doctor said she was healthy. Amanda, annoyed, accused Jane of being selfish and putting her baby in danger. Jane, feeling sick, covered her mouth and ran to the nearby toilet. Amanda called after her, “Ugh. Disgusting. That’s why women your age shouldn’t be having babies!”
Suddenly, Jane’s daughter appeared with her husband. “What’s the matter? Why are you yelling at my mom?!” she asked. Amanda explained she was teaching Jane a lesson about being selfish and putting her baby in danger. Jane’s daughter, appalled, revealed that her mother’s pregnancy was none of Amanda’s business. She explained that she had tried for two years to get pregnant but suffered multiple miscarriages and had no success with surgery or IVF. Adoption wasn’t an option she wanted, so Jane offered to be a surrogate for her daughter and son-in-law, Timothy Watson. Amanda, stunned and embarrassed, immediately apologized, especially upon realizing Timothy was the heir of a multi-million-dollar corporation where she used to work.
Jane forgave Amanda, who vowed to be better. When Jane gave birth, Amanda was the first to visit her at the hospital after her daughter and son-in-law. Amanda made sure to ask if Jane needed any help, aiding in her recovery by taking care of the baby every time she visited. In the end, Amanda changed her ways and became good friends with Jane.
