Brian mocked his younger sister Linda as they arrived at their grandmother’s house. “Oh, so Grandma called you too? I thought you’d be too busy studying in the library, like the good little bookworm you are.” Brian, 26, had always been condescending toward his 19-year-old sister, and today was no different.As Linda stepped out of the cab, she felt an odd combination of calm and fear. Her heart told her that nothing terrible would happen to her 90-year-old grandmother Marlene, but the anxiety in her mind was hard to shake. Still, she reassured herself, She has another 100 years to live.
They were there to visit Marlene, who had called them two days ago. “I want to see you both one last time, sweethearts,” Marlene had said on the phone. “I don’t think I’ll get another chance.”
When Linda entered her grandmother’s bedroom, she was struck by how dusty and unkempt the place was. Marlene was too old and sick to take care of herself anymore. Mold from a leaking ceiling lined the room. Still, Linda rushed over to embrace her grandmother. “Grandma! Nothing bad will happen to you. Please don’t be afraid. You’re all we have, and God won’t take you away from us.”
Linda had lived with Marlene up until a year ago, taking care of her and helping her with everything. She had even been prepared to turn down a scholarship to stay, but Marlene insisted she go to the city to finish her degree. Meanwhile, Brian coughed theatrically from the doorway. “Oh no…I have a dust allergy! Grandma, haven’t you dusted your room?”
Brian looked around the room and noticed how frail his grandmother had become. He wasn’t deeply concerned, but rather impatient to find out why she had called them both there. Marlene held Linda’s trembling hands and glanced at Brian, her eyes dull and lifeless compared to the sparkle they once had. Then, smiling faintly, she slowly pulled two envelopes from under her pillow.
“This is for you, sweethearts,” she said softly. “Make good use of it.”
When Linda and Brian opened the envelopes, each found $5,000 inside. Overcome with emotion, Linda burst into tears and fled the room. Brian, on the other hand, scowled. “Just this much? I thought there’d be more,” he muttered, turning to leave without even a word of thanks.
The next morning, Marlene was surprised to hear Linda’s voice. “Good morning, Grandma!” Linda’s cheerful greeting accompanied sunlight flooding the room as she pulled back the curtains. Marlene had assumed Linda had left to return to her studies and part-time job in the city, so seeing her there again was a pleasant shock.
Linda approached with the envelope from the previous day. “I added $4,000 from my savings,” she said. “You told me about your vision problems, Grandma. We now have $9,000 to pay for your eye surgery.”
Marlene’s tears flowed as she hugged her granddaughter. “Oh, darling, I always knew you had a kind heart. But it’s too late for surgery now. I feel my time coming, and I don’t want to waste this money.”
Linda gently wiped her grandmother’s tears and promised to stay with her. “I’ve taken a month off, Grandma. I won’t leave until I see you smile again.”
Linda’s presence brought great joy to Marlene. Linda cooked meals, cleaned the house, and took care of everything, lifting a great burden from her grandmother’s shoulders. One day, Marlene heard unfamiliar noises and went to investigate. To her amazement, Linda had used the $9,000 to repair the house, fixing leaks and renovating the home that Marlene and her late husband had shared.
“I knew you always wanted to fix Grandpa’s house, Grandma. Are you happy now?” Linda asked. Marlene, overwhelmed with emotion, embraced her granddaughter. For the first time in years, Marlene cried tears of pure happiness. A week later, Marlene passed away peacefully, having expressed her wish to die while she was happiest.
After the funeral, Linda and Brian were summoned to the lawyer’s office for the reading of Marlene’s will. To Brian’s delight, he inherited their grandmother’s house. Linda, however, was given a small box containing five old clocks.
Brian burst out laughing. “Is this some kind of joke? Grandma gave me the house because she knew who deserved it. You can keep these rusty clocks to decorate your little apartment.”
Linda was too heartbroken to respond. She took the clocks and left for the city, not bothering to examine them—until one day, she noticed something unusual. On one of the clocks, the words “OPEN IT!” were etched into the metal in beautiful cursive.
Curiosity got the better of her, and Linda opened the clock. Inside, she found a small scroll. As she unrolled the note, her hands trembled.
“These clocks are no ordinary antiques,” the note read. “They belonged to my grandfather and are made of rare, precious metal. Each one is worth $40,000.”
Tears filled Linda’s eyes as she read the final words: “Linda, everyone gets what they truly deserve. I’m glad you received the best. With love, Grandma Marlene.”
Linda smiled through her tears, clutching the clocks to her chest. She decided to keep this secret from her brother. He thinks he got the best, but Grandma knew who truly deserved it.
