Despite the mother’s objections and threats, the teenager moves to live with her poor grandmother to take care of her. One night, he discovered a mysterious box of money in an old couch that could change his life.
“Grandma knows everything” is not just an old saying. It contains a lot of wisdom and knowledge. Sometimes it can turn the wheel of fortune towards a hidden prize, as happened to unsuspecting Tom.
The grandmother of a 14-year-old boy, 65-year-old Margaret Smith, had moved to a remote area to enjoy life in peace. She was a widow, and somewhere in the back of her mind she knew that her two children, Nancy and Jeanne, would take care of her.
“They are my children. They will never leave me because I have done so much for them, and they love me,” thought Margaret often, convinced of the kindness of her children…
Nancy and Jeanne often visited their elderly mother, but talked only about her money and nothing else. They knew their mother had deposited a large amount of money in the bank and were fighting for her attention. But it all went wrong when Nancy took her mother’s card to pay for an online transaction that was rejected.
«Mom? What happened to your card? I paid for new shoes, and it was rejected», Nancy cried. “What happened?”
“What did you do with your money, Mom?” adds Jeanne. «Nancy was just trying to pay 250 dollars, but it didn’t work out».
«I’m sorry, my dears, but I spent all my money», says Margaret. «Now my account is only 5 dollars».
«Have you spent everything ??”,» the girls shout. «Why didn’t you tell us? Why did you spend all this money?»
Margaret refused to answer her daughters and told them not to talk about money anymore. But she had no idea her beloved daughters would decide to cut her out of their lives when she found out she was penniless.
From that day Margaret never heard from her daughters again. They never returned her calls and refused to speak to her when she came to visit. Eventually Margaret realised that her daughters no longer needed her and accepted the bitter truth.
“Mom, why haven’t we visited Grandma? We promised to clean her house every weekend,” Nancy’s 14-year-old son Tom once asked.
“She can take care of it herself,” Nancy resented. “We have a lot of work to do, and we can’t spend time taking care of her… Why should we worry about her over nothing?”
Tom was upset, and his mother forbade him when he said he was going to visit his grandmother.
«If you disobey me, you will have to forget your mountain bike and your pocket money», she threatened.
Even though the boy wanted to help his grandmother, he couldn’t disobey his mother. Meanwhile, poor Margaret’s health began to affect her, and she hoped her daughters would help her.
“My dear daughters, your mummy is ill,” she wrote in a message to her daughters. “It is difficult for me to cook and clean by myself. It would be nice if one of you could stay with me for a few days while I get back on my feet.”
Nancy and Jeanne were neighbours and were discussing their mother’s message.
“I’m not going… Will you go to her? You can if you want… But I’m not ready to look after our old mother for free,” grumbled Nancy.
“Me too. Who wants to do a favour for free? She may be our mother, but we still need to know what she did with her money. I wanted my share of the inheritance and now it’s all gone,” Jeanne is indignant.
Both mothers frown and curse their poor old mother, unaware that Tom has heard everything.
“Are you going to Grandma’s house?”. Nancy asked the boy angrily, seeing him packing. ” Have you forgotten your mountain bike and your pocket money? How dare you disobey me?”.
Tom stood his ground and claimed that his grandmother was more important to him than anything else.
“I’m leaving. There is nothing I value more than her. She loved us all, and it saddens me that she has to suffer alone now,” Tom said as he left the house.
“Phew, Grandma’s house stinks! It smells like musk!” – Nick, his older brother, exclaimed, frowning. “I’m sure you’ll be running back soon, Tom! Good luck!”
But Tom was determined, so he ignored them. When he reached Margaret’s doorstep, he dropped the bag and ran to her in tears.
“Granny, please forgive me! I didn’t know Mummy and Auntie were avoiding you. Please let me stay with you and take care of you.”
Touched by her grandson’s words, Margaret allowed him to stay, but she feared he would be uncomfortable in her small, poorly furnished house.
“Son, I only have one bed that I use. Could you sleep on the old sofa?” – she asked Tom timidly.
“Why not, Granny? I’m comfortable as long as I’m with you. Even if you ask me to sleep on the floor, I’ll gladly do it for you!”
Margaret was touched and shed tears of joy. Soon afterwards she furnished the living room with an old sofa, which needed some hemming. Later they spent a lot of time washing dishes and cooking. They even went for walks in their favourite park and talked a lot.
Tom loved being close to his grandmother, surrounded by her love and care. He sighed and felt proud, then collapsed on the sofa for a good night’s sleep.
However, he felt something under the pillow. He lay on his back, adjusted the pillow, and it tilted sideways.
“What is it?” – he shouted when he saw a hole under the mattress. Tom ran his hands over the dark cavity and jumped back in surprise, fumbling for something that looked like a wooden box.
Curious and frightened, the boy took out the box and gasped. Inside lay a note and neatly folded bundles of notes.
“That signature looks familiar,” he muttered, taking the note in his hands to read.
“If you found this money, it means you really care about me. It makes me feel good to know that you love me, not my money. I want you to know that wealth is not everything. The most important thing is love and care. And because you love me for who I am, you deserve to have my $100,000. I love you, Margaret.”
It turned out that Margaret had withdrawn all the money from her bank account to leave it to the person who loved and cared for her.
Sadly, both her children failed her test and only one grandchild was able to touch her heart. It was time to carry out the second part of her plan.
The next day, Tom rushes to her house and tells her about the money. Proud of his honest act, Margaret tells him that she hid the money inside the sofa on purpose, to give it only to the most deserving.
News of Tom’s sudden wealth reaches his mother and aunt. They decided to placate their mother, hoping to get a share of the money. But Margaret had other plans.
The next day, Margaret and Tom met with her lawyer and signed the necessary documents. According to Margaret’s will, the $100,000 would not be paid to Tom until he turned 18. Only he would be entitled to the money, and no one, not even his mother, would receive a penny.
When Nancy and Jeanne learn of their mother’s will, they become enraged. They still thought they could try to persuade her not to do it.
“Mum is still alive and we have plenty of time to change her mind,” Nancy tells Jeanne on the way to meet the mother.
“You are right. We have to convince her to change her will before she dies. She is our mother and she will melt with our love,” Jeanne laughs. The sisters plot to persuade Margaret to change her will.
“Mum, we’re glad you’re all right!” – Nancy said, hugging her mother warmly.
“Look what we have for you… Your favourite cake and these shawls to keep you warm,” Jeanne added.
To their surprise, Margaret was far from pleased.
” MOTHER???? Excuse me, but do I know you ladies?” – Margaret said with a sneer. “I only have one family – my grandson – and no one else. You can leave or I’ll call the police.”
Margaret slammed the door in front of Nancy and Jeanne, who had no choice but to leave devastated.
“It’s all your fault,” Jeanne rebuked her sister.
“Is it? You could have used your brain instead of listening to me, you loser,” Nancy replied.
Meanwhile, Tom stayed with his grandmother and looked after her. He broke off relations with his greedy mother and aunt and he is happy being with his grandmother.
