When his younger sister only receives five rusty old clocks from their late grandma, the avaricious brother makes fun of her after inheriting a house. They had no idea what was concealed within those watches.
“Oh, so your grandmother called you too? I assumed you would be occupied—like a good little bookworm—in the library.” The 26-year-old Brian mocked his 19-year-old younger sister Linda.
“She’d just gotten out of the cab. Her heart told her that nothing bad would happen to her grandmother, yet fear clouded her gaze. She will be alright. She has another 100 years to live.”
Brian and Linda arrived to pay their 90-year-old grandmother Marlene a visit. She’d asked to see her immediately.
“My wish is to see you one last time, sweethearts. Marlene had soberingly informed them during the call two days prior,” “I might not get another chance again.”
Linda coughed when she walked inside her grandmother’s bedroom and saw how dusty it was. Marlene was too sick and elderly to take care of herself. Linda saw the ceiling had mold growing from leaks where she had neglected to sweep the floor.
Linda opened the clock, and what she found inside would go on to change her life.
She rushed to embrace Marlene, who was in bed, saying, “Grandma!!” “Grandma, nothing bad will happen to you. Please don’t be alarmed. Since you are all we have, God will not take you away from us.”
Linda shared a home with Marlene until a year ago. She was very helpful and took fantastic care of her. She was prepared to decline a scholarship that may have changed her life, but Marlene persuaded her to relocate to the city in order to finish her degree.
Brian smiled and coughed his way into the room. “Oh no…I have a dust allergy!” “Grandma, did you not dust and sweep your room?”
As he drew nearer, he noticed his granny was thin and ill. The least concerned of them, though, just stood there, waiting to find out why she had called.
Marlene held Linda’s trembling hands and looked into Brian’s eyes. The girl was hurt to see her grandmother so pale and without the once-beautiful sparkle in her eyes. They appeared to be dead.
Grinning, Marlene stood up slowly and removed two envelopes from beneath her pillow. Her words, “Sweethearts, this is for you,” “Kindly make good use of it. To present it to you, I called.”
When Brian and Linda opened the envelopes, they discovered a $5,000 wad inside each.
Linda sobbed uncontrollably and fled the room.
Brian, meantime, scowled. Just this much? I had assumed you had more to provide. Okay, I must go at this time. Without even saying thank you, he turned away from Marlene and left.
Marlene was in for a surprise the following day.
“Good morning, grandma!” Marlene heard Linda talking in her sleep. She didn’t think she would come back.
The girl pulled back the curtains, waking her with rays of light flooding the dusty, gloomy chamber.
It astonished her to see Linda. She had assumed the girl had moved on to her studies and part-time job as a librarian in the city.
Carrying the envelope that Marlene had given her the day before, Linda approached her.
“I added my annual savings of $4,000. Do you recall telling me about your visual problems, Grandma? I currently have nine thousand dollars. We can now pay for your eye surgery.”
Marlene got out of bed. Her cheeks streaked with tears, she gave Linda a hug. “Darling, I knew you better! But the procedure is too late. I can feel my demise drawing near. This money could be better utilized, and I don’t want to waste it.”
Wiping away Marlene’s tears, Linda announced that she would move in with her.
“I’ve been off for a month. Grandma, I won’t go until I see that radiant smile on your face.”
And Linda was aware of what needed to be done to make Marlene smile again.
Marlene found significant assistance in Linda’s presence. She didn’t have to bother preparing meals for herself.
On certain days, Marlene didn’t feel like cooking herself a lovely supper, so she would just eat stale bread for dinner. However, as Linda arrived, she was able to stand up again. Marlene had never felt happier or more at ease.
She stepped outside her bedroom to investigate after hearing noises she didn’t recognize one day. It surprised her. Linda had renovated the house and fixed the leak with the $9,000 she had spent.
“I had known for a long time that you wanted to fix up Grandpa’s priceless home. Grandma, are you pleased now? I made renovations so you could see the lovely home you and your grandfather used to share. Are you fond of it?”
Marlene couldn’t say anything. She hurried to give Linda a hug, moving as quickly as her weak legs would allow. That day, Marlene sobbed on Linda’s shoulders in a way she had never done before.
Marlene wished a lot. “I want to die when I’m the happiest on earth!” Her wish came true a week later. Linda was left with more than just a broken heart when Marlene passed away peacefully.
Linda and Brian were called to the attorney’s office a few days following the funeral to discuss the late Marlene’s will, which they were unaware of.
They learned of another unexpected inheritance when they arrived.
“Mr. White, you will inherit your grandmother’s residence under her will. These are the documents. Kindly have them signed.”
Linda looked surprised. She fretted since she had refurbished the house and Brian had gotten it when he least deserved it, but she wasn’t jealous of her elder brother.
“And Miss Linda, this is yours,” the attorney stated, advancing a box in Linda’s direction.
She opened the box and shouted, “What is this?” Within, she discovered five antique clocks. Brian started laughing and making fun of her.
“That is extremely inexpensive and crazy! Grandma gave me the house. Whoever deserved the best, she knew. You may use these rusted clocks to decorate your rental abode and cry over it, sis. Not everyone is fortunate.”
Linda took the clocks with her as she fled for the city, distraught. Until one day, when she saw an etching on one of them, she never cared to thoroughly inspect them.
The metal had the words “OPEN IT!” carved in a lovely cursive font.
Linda opened the clock out of curiosity, and what she saw within would alter her course in life.
“A note?” She cried out and took a small scroll out of the inside of the clock. After unfolding it, she sat back in disbelief.
“These antique, rusted watches are not to be taken lightly! These are vintage watches that my grandfather owned for a century. Additionally, they are made of excellent, rare metal!” The note said, “Every piece is worth $40,000, my dear.”
As Linda continued to read, happy tears welled up in her eyes.
“Linda, everyone gets what they really deserve! I’m happy you received the best. From Granny Marlene, with love.”
Linda sobbed as she hugged the old-fashioned clocks to her chest. She could hear them ticking near her heartbeat; they were still functional. Her grandmother seemed to be still there.
Linda made the decision not to tell her brother about this.
“He believes he had the finest from Grandma and is greedy. Let him remain under that presumption. Granny didn’t require me to prove who was deserving of the best; she knew!” She closed the unique watches in her drawer and continued to think.
What can we learn from the story?
- Everyone gets what they truly deserve. Brian mocked Linda when she inherited only five old clocks from their grandmother. Little did he know that she had actually gotten what she truly deserved because each piece was worth over $40,000.
- Love and accept your elders for who they are. You will be loved back a hundredfold. Linda loved her grandma unconditionally and cared for her without expecting anything in return. Ultimately, she inherited a surprise $200K worth of legacy after her grandmother’s death.