An elderly grandma is lovingly cared for by a young single mother; however, she receives an outdated couch upon her death.
Giving Deborah Marks’ terminally sick grandmother all the assistance and care she needed was not a chore but enjoyable. Throughout her childhood, Tessa, her grandmother, had supported her in a manner that her distant, heartless mother had never done.
Despite the many challenges Tessa faced as a single mother of two, Deborah wanted to be there for her now that she was nearing the end of her life.
Tessa’s solace during her final days was in Deborah’s hands because Tessa’s mother, Martha, was as callous a daughter as she had been a mother.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
Deborah requested a six-month unpaid leave of absence from her job and moved into her grandmother’s home with her two children as Tessa pleaded to be allowed to die at home.
Meanwhile, Martha had planned a three-month globe cruise for herself and saw no reason to change it. For the next four months, Deborah lovingly nurtured Tessa, treating her like one of her children.
We should be there for our elders and parents in their final days, just as they were for us when we were young.
Tessa and Deborah would converse in silence for hours as Deborah shared stories from her past, as Tessa’s discomfort subsided. Deborah kissed her slender, gnarled hands while holding them.
She whispered daily, “I want you to know how much I love you, granny,” “You’ll always be in my heart.” Under the influence of the painkillers, Tessa’s eyes would slowly shut, and she would nod off while grinning.
The slumber continued one evening. Deborah was the recipient of Tessa’s final glance and sweet grin. She fell asleep forever as her granddaughter’s hand pressed against her face.
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Tessa’s frail frame was in Deborah’s arms as she sobbed, but she understood that her tears were for herself only. Tessa had no discomfort and was content.
Martha wasn’t there, even though she had just returned from her vacation. She had admitted to Deborah that the smell of sick persons made her queasy and had said it aloud enough for Tessa to hear.
Calling Martha, Deborah picked up the phone. “Mom, Gran’s gone. If you want to come to say goodbye.”
But Martha was not a sentimental woman. “I’ll see her at the service, won’t I?” she said crisply. “Now we need to make the funeral arrangements and get the death certificate to get the estate into probable.”
Deborah was dazed. “The estate?” she asked. “I don’t understand…”
“Don’t be silly, Deborah,” said Martha. “The money, the house. The house should be worth quite a bit! And all those jewels she inherited from her grandmother.”
“How can you think of that at a time like this?” asked Deborah in tears.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“Because I’m a practical woman, Deborah!” said, Martha. “Not a sentimental ninny like you and my mother!” Martha planned the funeral, contacted the council, and scheduled the will reading much more quickly than Deborah could have imagined.
Tessa had a straightforward will. With one exception: the old peach brocade couch in her parlor was for Deborah. She left home to Martha, along with all of its possessions.
Martha left the lawyer’s office, grinning as she left.
“Oh, Deborah,” she said. “If you want that mangy couch, you’d better come and get it by the end of the week. I’m putting the house on the market.”
Deborah called a friend who drove a big truck to get assistance transporting the couch to her house. Deborah treasured it despite being large, cumbersome, heavy, and more than a little worn piece of furniture.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Unsplash
Deborah put it in her living room to serve as a daily reminder of her grandma. She immediately stopped when she felt something under the fabric as she was beginning to clean it by raising the large, heavy cushions.
Deborah flipped the cushion over and discovered a sizable zipper. When she opened it, she discovered a sizable black velvet purse. Jewelry boxes and an envelope bearing her name were also inside the backpack.
Deborah read her grandmother’s final letter when she opened the envelope: “My dearest Debbie, I want you to know how much I’ve adored you and what a treasure and blessing you’ve been in my life.”
“I wanted to pass on to you the jewels my grandmother gave me, but I know my daughter too well.” You can enjoy them and keep Martha in the dark because I’m providing them to you in this manner because she would find a way to cheat you.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“Remember I love you, my dearest, and remember me, and one day passes on my legacy to your granddaughter.”
A glittering collection of priceless jewels was inside the boxes, but Deborah saw them all warped by the rainbow she created with her weeping. Martha spent weeks flipping Tessa’s home upside down in search of the jewels but came up empty-handed.
She had made little money from her cold heart and greed, and her granddaughters never adored her like Deborah had adored Tessa.
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