An elderly woman took in a boy who had nowhere to sleep. And that night, she saw him sneaking toward her bed and froze when she saw what he began to do…

He had no choice, and no one could help him. The pastor thought that since Eleanor Thompson was now completely alone in her apartment, why not rent out a room to the boy? It would give her some income, and he would have a safe place to sleep. After all, life is less lonely when shared.

Matthew’s shoulders slumped, his head dropped, and he stared at the floor while Eleanor continued speaking. At first, he could stay as a guest, and if he didn’t like it, he could look for something else. But if he wanted to stay, then he could. Matthew looked at her in surprise.

She didn’t need money? She was offering him shelter just like that? Even for a little while? It had been so long since anyone had done him a kindness. He couldn’t believe that a complete stranger could show such generosity toward him.

Eleanor immediately took Matthew home, not even stopping by the church to light a candle as she usually did. She held his hand gently, asking him on the way what he liked to eat—if he would like to have fried potatoes for dinner and oatmeal in the morning.

Later, they could go to his temporary shelter to collect his personal belongings. But for now, he could try on some clothes that had belonged to her son. The old woman had never had the heart to throw them away, and she had no one to give them to. Now, they would finally serve a purpose.

Matthew behaved shyly, modestly—clearly feeling awkward. He seemed hesitant to eat too many potatoes, but Eleanor kept serving him more. Then they drank lemon balm tea with honey and gingerbread cookies. A concert was playing on TV, and they both sat down to watch. Matthew liked the songs they listened to.

And Eleanor couldn’t shake the feeling that Matthew was looking at her with the eyes of a stray dog—one that had finally been shown kindness.

Afterward, she prepared the bed where her son used to sleep, then went to her own room. What an unusual day. For the first time in so long, she felt useful again, needed by someone. She wanted so much to keep him warm, to comfort him, to take care of this boy.

Eleanor lay awake for a long time, not moving, waiting for sleep to take her. But then, she heard a rustling sound.

It was Matthew in the other room. No—he was no longer in the other room. He was creeping slowly into her bedroom. Eleanor watched through barely open eyelids. Her eyes had long since adjusted to the dim light of the night. She could see his silhouette moving cautiously.

She held her breath. Her heart pounded wildly.

He was holding something in his hands—something small. He stopped at her bedside and didn’t move, as if debating whether to go through with his plan.

God, what was he planning? What was he thinking? She didn’t really know him at all. And if he…?

At that moment, he knelt beside her bed. His face was in shadow, but Eleanor could feel his gaze on her. Slowly, he placed the small object on her nightstand. It was a glass of water.

“Grandma,” he whispered so softly it was barely audible. “I know you’re awake. Your breathing changed when I came in.”

Eleanor opened her eyes completely, meeting Matthew’s gaze. There was no malice or threat in his eyes—only deep sadness mixed with gratitude.

“Why are you sneaking into my room at night?” she asked, trying to steady her heartbeat.

“My grandma…” he began, his voice trembling slightly. “Before she passed away, she always said that nights are the hardest. That thirst comes when you least expect it and that having a glass of water by your bed is the most precious thing when you’re old.”

A tear slipped down his cheek, glistening in the faint light filtering through the bedroom window.

“I couldn’t bring her a glass of water on her last night. I wasn’t there. And when I arrived, it was too late.”

Eleanor sat up slowly, touched by his words. She picked up the glass of water and took a sip, then gestured for him to sit on the edge of the bed.

“Matthew, who are you really? What happened to you?”

The boy was silent for a few moments, then he began to speak, as if something inside him had finally broken open.

“I used to have a family. Dad, Mom, Grandma, and me. We lived modestly but happily. Dad worked at a furniture factory, and Mom was a teacher at the local school. Then everything fell apart in a single night.”

His voice wavered, but he kept going, staring into the distance.

“A fire… They tried to save the neighbors, but the ceiling collapsed. I lost everything in an instant. Our home, my parents… Only Grandma survived because she was in the hospital that night. And I was staying over at a friend’s house.”

Eleanor fought back tears, her heart aching for this boy who had lost so much.

“Grandma raised me alone after that. We lived on her small pension. And when she passed away last year, I had no one left. The apartment was rented—it wasn’t ours. I tried to manage on my own, worked wherever I could, but in the past few months, things got harder.”

In the dimly lit room, they sat in silence for a while. Then, to her surprise, Matthew continued:

“You know, yesterday, I almost stole something. At the market—a wallet. I was desperate. I hadn’t eaten in two days. But I couldn’t do it. My hand just wouldn’t move, like my grandma was there, looking at me with disapproval. And then I saw you at the church and…”

His voice trailed off. Eleanor reached out and gently touched his cheek.

“And now? What do you want to do with your life, Matthew?”

“I want to finish high school. I have one year left. Then maybe college, if I can get a scholarship. I love math and physics. My grandma always said I had a good mind.”

Eleanor thought of her own son, who would have been about Matthew’s age now. She had lost him in a car accident ten years ago, along with her daughter-in-law. Since then, she had lived alone, with his photograph on the wall and memories that haunted her.

“Matthew,” she said firmly. “I don’t want you to stay here just temporarily. I want you to stay. Finish high school, go to college. This house is too big for an old woman alone. And I… I need someone to bring me a glass of water at night.”

Matthew looked at her, stunned, his eyes filling with tears.

“Why are you doing this for me? You don’t even know me.”

“I know enough,” she replied gently. “You’re a good boy who has been through too much. And maybe God brought us together because we both needed each other.”

That night, Eleanor slept more peacefully than she had in ten years. And for a while, Matthew sat beside her bed, making sure the glass of water was within reach.

The next morning, Eleanor woke up to the smell of fresh coffee and toast. In the kitchen, Matthew had prepared breakfast with the few supplies he had found.

“I wanted to thank you,” he said shyly. “For everything.”

“Thank me by taking care of yourself and making your grandma proud,” Eleanor replied with a smile. “Now, let’s eat, and then we’ll go get your things and see what you need for school.”

In the months that followed, Eleanor’s home was filled with life again. And one evening, Matthew placed an envelope on the table.

“What’s this?” she asked, putting on her glasses.

“I got accepted into the Engineering Program,” he said, his face glowing with joy. “With a full scholarship.”

Eleanor jumped up and hugged him, tears of happiness streaming down her face.

“I knew it! I knew you could do it! Your grandma would be so proud of you.”

“Not just my grandma,” Matthew said, holding her close. “But my second grandma too.”

And that night, as always, Matthew placed a fresh glass of water on Eleanor’s nightstand. But this time, he left a small note beside it:

“Thank you for saving my life.”

The old woman fell asleep with a smile on her face, knowing that the gesture of that night, when she opened the door of her home and heart to a stranger, was blessed with the most unexpected and precious reward: a new family.

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