Pauline, a hardworking janitor and single mother, wants to get her 8-year-old daughter, Eve, a doll for her birthday. With barely enough money, she turns to a flea market and finds a beautiful vintage doll. It’s all she can afford, but she hopes it will bring Eve some joy, especially since the little girl often feels isolated at school due to their poverty.
On Eve’s birthday, she’s overjoyed to receive the doll. But as Pauline hands it to her, she hears a strange crackling sound. Investigating, she discovers a hidden pocket with a small note that reads, “Happy Birthday, Mommy.” The handwriting looks like a child’s.
Curious and concerned, Pauline returns to the flea market and finds the woman who sold her the doll. The woman, Miriam, is overwhelmed with emotion when she sees the note. She shares that her young daughter, who had recently died of cancer, had given her that doll as a birthday gift. Miriam and her husband had been selling their late daughter’s belongings to cope with their grief and cover medical expenses.Pauline offers a heartfelt hug and shares her own struggles raising Eve alone.
