On his 97th birthday, a lonely man named Mr. L reflects on a life reduced to quiet routines, solitary meals, and a distant son who hasn’t called in five years. Living above a shuttered hardware store, he treats himself to a small cake from the local bakery and eats it alone, hoping—though he won’t admit it—for some sign from Eliot, his estranged son. He sends a birthday photo to Eliot’s last known number, but receives no reply. Just as he resigns himself to another silent day, a knock on the door surprises him. At the door stands Soraya, a teenage girl claiming to be his granddaughter. She found his message on an old phone Eliot had passed down and, despite her father’s wishes, came to meet him.

Their connection is instant and emotional. Soraya, brave and curious, offers a homemade card, and the two share stories and the remaining birthday cake. As Mr. L recalls fond memories of Eliot as a child, Soraya brings laughter and warmth into the small, creaky apartment. Before leaving, she takes a photo of them together and asks to visit again. After she departs, Mr. L receives a message from Eliot, a brief note of gratitude for the kindness shown to his daughter. Though there is no full reconciliation, the visit offers Mr. L something he hadn’t expected: a glimmer of connection, a new beginning, and a reminder that even fractured families can find their way back through small, brave acts.