Weeks passed, and I started doing well at my new job. The café felt warm in a way the bakery never did—people were kind, grateful, and full of laughter.
One morning, while I was wiping a table, I heard two regular customers talking about a charity that helped families in need. They mentioned the woman from the bakery—she had finally gotten shelter and support because of help from kind strangers.
A month later, a small envelope showed up at the café with my name on it. Inside was a note that said, “Your kindness helped me get back on my feet. Now it’s my turn.” There was also a gift card to the café and a message: “Kindness goes far. Sometimes it just takes a while to come back.”
I put the hairpin in my pocket again—not for luck, but to remind me that even small good deeds can come back in bigger ways.