I was shocked when my family didn’t show up for my grandma’s birthday celebration at her house! Their actions deeply hurt her, and I decided to make them realize the impact of their behavior. So, I devised a plan to teach them a lesson they wouldn’t forget!
The story begins on a sad note but has a somewhat happy ending. It revolves around my beloved Gran-Gran, the sweetest person in the world. When our parents were busy getting divorced, this amazing woman raised my siblings, Sandra, and me from a very young age.
I’m sharing this to highlight how special and priceless this woman is to us—or at least to me. Gran-Gran, being the selfless person she is, wanted to celebrate her 83rd birthday without troubling anyone. Instead of waiting for us to plan something special, she organized a brunch at her home, despite her declining health. She even baked her own bread and pastries, waking up early to prepare everything!
We all received invitations a week before the event, which she had painstakingly hand-drawn and written herself. Knowing the effort she put into it, I was determined to be there. Unfortunately, work delayed me on her birthday, and I arrived ten minutes late.
I had bought her a gift well in advance and brought it with me. When I arrived, I found her clearing the table and pouring out coffee. “Gran-Gran, did I get the time wrong for your birthday party?” I asked, confused. “What happened? Where is everyone?”
With a trembling voice and tears in her eyes, she replied, “Sany, you didn’t get the time wrong. No one came to celebrate my birthday. But don’t worry, my dear. I know everyone is busy.”
Her words and the sight of her trying to hold back tears broke my heart and made me furious. She tried to smile, but it was clear she was deeply hurt.
“They’re always busy? Sarah is ‘between jobs,’ Tim is unemployed, and Mom is retired! They have no excuse,” I fumed. Hugging my grandmother, I promised to make it right. A plan for revenge began forming in my mind. It was personal now, but Gran-Gran wouldn’t have to know. I stepped outside to make some calls and spent quality time with her afterward.
I decided my family needed a lesson. First, I called my mother. “Hey, Mom! How are you? I found Gran-Gran alone in the house after she fell.” My mom sounded worried and asked what happened.
“I’m not sure. When I arrived late for her birthday, I found her face down in the kitchen. She’s at the hospital now,” I lied.
“This could’ve been avoided if you had gone to her brunch,” I added. “I’m so sorry, Sandra. I got caught up in something,” she apologized.
“Caught up in what? You’re retired,” I snapped. “Don’t take that tone with me!” she shot back.
“Sorry, Mom. I’m just worried about Gran-Gran. By the way, we need money to cover her hospital bills,” I continued. Feeling guilty, my mom agreed to send her share of the fictitious $2,000 bill.
I returned to spend more time with my grandma before she went for a nap. Then, I called the rest of the family who hadn’t shown up.
I called my brother Tim. “Hey, what kept you from Gran-Gran’s brunch?”
“Something came up,” he mumbled. “Like what? Another video game marathon?” I shot back. “She’s in the hospital. Are you even concerned?”
“Is she going to be okay?” he asked, panic in his voice. I told him that if someone had attended her brunch, this wouldn’t have happened. I mentioned the need for money for hospital bills, making him feel guilty enough to agree to contribute.
I repeated this with my sister and other relatives, all of whom felt bad and agreed to send money. I quickly accumulated a significant sum! I kept them guessing, saying Grandma was still in the hospital and would be allowed visitors the next day.
That night, I stayed with Gran-Gran. The next morning, I surprised her with tickets for a trip to a beautiful place she had always wanted to visit.
“Gran-Gran, pack your bags. We’re going on vacation!” I announced with a big smile. Her eyes widened. “How did you afford this?”
“Let’s just say I collected a few IOUs,” I winked.
We spent a week at a beach resort, enjoying the sun, sea, and each other’s company. I made sure Gran-Gran had the birthday celebration she deserved, capturing every joyful moment in photos.
Before we left, I told the family that Grandma was being discharged, citing stress as a factor in her fall. I assured them I would take care of her.
I posted pictures of our vacation on social media, tagging the whole family. Captions like “Best birthday ever!” and “Gran-Gran’s special getaway!” accompanied the photos. My phone buzzed with calls and messages.
Mom called first. “You said the money was for the hospital!” she exclaimed. “You promised to attend her brunch and didn’t,” I replied and hung up.
My brother called next. “We were tricked!”
“And you broke Gran-Gran’s heart,” I retorted and hung up.
The same response went to every family member. Watching them squirm gave me satisfaction. They needed to understand the consequences of their actions.
When we got home, Gran-Gran was beaming. “Thank you for the best week of my life,” she said, hugging me tightly.
“You deserve it, Gran-Gran. And don’t worry, next year will be even better,” I promised. After that, my family never missed another event. They attended every birthday, holiday, and Sunday dinner, though they disapproved of my methods.
Some tried to make me feel guilty, but I would ask, “Do you want to discuss this with Grandma?” That usually made them back down, as they couldn’t face admitting what they had done.
Seeing Gran-Gran’s happy face made it all worth it. But I sometimes wonder, did I go too far? What would you have done in my place?
Though fictionalized for artistic purposes, this story is inspired by real people and events. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the story. Any resemblance to actual persons or events is purely coincidental and unintended by the author.
The publisher and author disclaim any responsibility for any misinterpretation and make no claims regarding the accuracy of the events or character portrayals. This narrative is presented “as is,” with the characters’ opinions being their own and not those of the publisher or author.