Brian stood with his arms crossed, smirking as Linda stepped out of the taxi. The air was thick with tension as he looked at her, his words dripping with mockery.
“Oh, so grandma called you as well?! I thought you’d be busy in the library… like a good little bookworm!” he scoffed, clearly amused by her presence.
Linda, only 19 years old, felt her heart pound in her chest. Fear flickered in her eyes as she forced a smile, though deep down, her heart was already screaming, Nothing will happen to grandma. She’ll be fine. She’ll live for a hundred more years, right? But her heart told her otherwise.
It was a chilly afternoon when Linda and Brian arrived to visit their 90-year-old grandmother, Marlene. She had called them urgently, asking them to come over.
“Sweethearts, I wish to see you one last time. I might not get another chance,” Marlene’s voice had trembled on the phone two days ago, leaving Linda with a heavy feeling she couldn’t shake off.
As Linda stepped into the old house, she was hit with a mix of emotions. Dust clung to every corner, and the air smelled of time—old, musty, and faintly of memories. Marlene, too frail and sick to take care of herself, had let the house fall into disrepair. The ceiling had patches of mold, and the floor hadn’t been swept in days.
Linda’s throat tightened as she stepped into Marlene’s bedroom, where the elderly woman lay in bed, frail and pale. Without thinking, she rushed to her, tears welling up in her eyes.
“Grandma!” she cried, throwing her arms around her grandmother. “Nothing will happen to you, I promise. You’ll be fine. Please don’t worry. You’re everything we have.”
A year ago, Linda had lived with Marlene, taking care of her every need. She had even been ready to give up a life-changing scholarship to stay by her side, but Marlene had insisted she move to the city to follow her dreams. It had been the hardest decision Linda had ever made, but she knew it was what her grandma wanted.
Meanwhile, Brian strolled into the room, visibly annoyed. “Damn, this place is a dust pit! Grandma, did you forget to sweep up?” He didn’t even flinch when he saw how sick Marlene looked, his face unbothered. He just stood there, waiting for the reason why his grandmother had called them.
Marlene, who had always been a sharp, spirited woman, now stared at Brian with eyes that seemed to have lost their usual luster. She reached for Linda’s hand, the frailty of her grip nearly breaking Linda’s heart.
“Sweethearts,” Marlene whispered, her voice barely audible, “I have something for you both.”
She carefully pulled two envelopes from beneath her pillow and handed them to the siblings. “Please use it wisely,” she continued. “I called to give it to you.”
Brian opened his envelope first, his face lighting up when he saw the money inside. Five thousand dollars. It wasn’t a small sum, but his expression turned sour almost immediately.
“This is it?” he asked, sneering. “I thought you had more. Whatever. I’ve got places to be.” He turned away, not even bothering to thank her, and walked out of the room, leaving Linda standing there, heartbroken.
Linda, however, couldn’t hold back her emotions. She ran out of the room, her tears falling freely as she fled the house.
The next morning, as Linda prepared to leave, she stopped by her grandma’s room to check on her. The old woman was awake, her eyes slightly brighter than the day before.
“Good morning, grandma!” Linda said with a warm smile, though she knew Marlene was slipping away.
Marlene had thought Linda was already gone, off to the city to pursue her studies, but she was wrong. Linda had come back because she couldn’t bear to leave her grandmother in such a state.
“I brought something for you,” Linda said, taking out the envelope from the day before. She had added her own savings to the $5,000, bringing the total to $9,000.
“Remember when you told me about your poor vision?” Linda said softly. “I think we can finally pay for your eye surgery with this. I know it’s not enough, but it’s something.”
Marlene slowly sat up, her frail arms wrapping around Linda in a tight embrace. “Darling,” she said with tears in her eyes, “it’s too late for the surgery. I can feel it. My time is almost up. I don’t want to waste this money. It can be put to better use.”
Linda wiped away her tears. “I’m not leaving, grandma. I’ve taken a month off from school. I’ll stay with you until I see that golden smile of yours again.”
And Linda did just that. She stayed with her grandmother, caring for her, cooking meals, and making sure she was comfortable. It was a simple life, but for the first time in ages, Marlene felt at peace.
One day, Linda came to her with a bright smile. “Grandma, I did it! I fixed the house!” she announced with excitement.
“What?” Marlene asked, her voice weak but filled with curiosity.
Linda had used the $9,000 to repair the house. The leaky ceiling was fixed, the walls were patched, and the house had a fresh coat of paint. It wasn’t much, but it was everything Marlene had ever wanted—to live in a home that felt like it had life again.
Marlene could hardly believe her eyes. She walked to Linda, her face glowing with happiness, and hugged her tightly. “You’ve made me so happy, my dear,” she whispered through her tears. “This is the smile I’ve been waiting for.”
A week later, Marlene’s wish came true. She passed away in her sleep, peacefully, with Linda by her side.
After the funeral, Linda and Brian were called to the lawyer’s office. There, they were told about their grandmother’s will—a will they never knew existed.
“Mr. White,” the lawyer began, looking at Brian, “according to your grandmother’s will, you are to inherit her house.” He pushed a stack of papers across the desk. “Please sign here.”
Brian looked pleased, his smug smile returning as he signed the papers.
“And Miss Linda,” the lawyer said, turning to her with a knowing look. “This is for you.”
He slid a small box toward her. Linda opened it, only to find five old vintage clocks inside. Brian laughed, a harsh sound that filled the room.
“Seriously? This is what grandma left you? Five rusty old clocks? Well, I guess they’ll look great in your crappy apartment. You should have known who deserved the best,” he sneered.
Linda didn’t respond. She didn’t care about what Brian thought. She left for the city, taking the clocks with her. She didn’t think much of them until one day, while dusting them off, she noticed something unusual. One of the clocks had an engraving on the back: “OPEN IT!”
Curious, she pried it open and found a small note inside. Her hands shook as she unrolled it.
“Never underestimate these rusty, old watches!” the note began in elegant cursive. “They are 100-year-old classic timepieces that belonged to my grandfather. Crafted from rare, exquisite metal, each piece is worth $40,000. Enjoy, my dear. Love, Granny Marlene.”
Linda’s breath caught in her throat as she read on. Her tears fell, not from sorrow, but from an overwhelming sense of gratitude and love.
“Everyone gets what they truly deserve, Linda. I’m glad you got only the best.”
Linda held the clocks close to her chest, feeling her grandmother’s presence in the ticking sound that echoed in her ears. She knew she had received a legacy that Brian could never understand.
Let him think he got the best from grandma, Linda thought with a smile. Granny knew who deserved the best. I don’t need to prove anything to him.
And so, Linda locked the clocks away, a secret she would keep close to her heart forever.
The lesson of the story?
Sometimes, what you think you’ve lost turns out to be the greatest gift you could have ever received. Brian mocked Linda for her inheritance, not realizing that she had received a priceless legacy worth far more than a house. The true inheritance wasn’t just in the material, but in the love, care, and understanding of what truly matters.
And in the end, everyone does get what they truly deserve.