When Chris Harvey was hospitalized, his daughter, Angelina, sent her son Peter to check on his condition and ensure that his house was ready for his return. However, Peter and his wife had different plans in mind. When Chris returned home, he found his house in disarray and was taken aback by something shocking that his grandson said.
“Don’t worry, Dad. I’m going to figure something out. But I can’t visit you right now because I’m out of paid time off at work,” Angelina told her father, the 87-year-old Chris Harvey, during a phone call from the hospital.
After calling 911 due to a suspected heart episode, Chris was informed by doctors that they needed to conduct further tests before he could go home. Concerned for his well-being, he reached out to Angelina, asking if she could travel from Miami to Austin, Texas, to help him.
But she was unable to. “It’s alright, Dad. I think the doctors are just being cautious due to my age, and they’ll have more information soon,” he reassured her as he clutched his cellphone in his hospital bed.
“Peter, please go check on your grandfather. He’s all alone,” Angelina insisted to her son.
“I don’t know, Mom,” he hesitated, but his mother wouldn’t take no for an answer.
“Peter, you need to be there for your grandfather. Who knows how much longer he’ll be with us, especially with his heart condition? And remember, you’re his only grandson. He has always said you would inherit his house and belongings when the time comes. It’s the perfect opportunity to bond with him too,” she urged.
After a moment of silence, Peter finally replied in a reluctant tone, “Alright, I’ll go. Hannah will come with me. I should be able to request some time off work since I haven’t taken a vacation in a long time.”
“Thank you, my dear. I know my father will appreciate it. You’re a good son,” she replied, relieved that Chris wouldn’t be alone after his discharge.
Little did Angelina know what thoughts were truly running through her son’s mind.
A few days later, after a battery of tests, the doctors prescribed Chris several medications and discharged him from the hospital, cautioning him to take care of his health even after feeling better.
Chris nodded as he listened to the doctors’ instructions but couldn’t shake off his worry; Angelina hadn’t called the day before, as she had promised, and he was anxious to see Peter.
Not having his grandson’s phone number, he hoped to find him at home. Taking a cab, he arrived, only to be surprised by the sight of his furniture on the front lawn. Even more alarmed, he noticed that his door was slightly ajar, despite the paramedics having closed it securely. What was going on? The real shock came when he entered his house.
The interior was empty. His paintings, military memorabilia, kitchen table, and chairs—everything except what he saw outside—was gone. Plastic sheets adorned the floors as if someone had recently painted or performed renovations.
“Hello?” he called out into the silence, only to hear footsteps coming from the bedrooms.
“Grandpa?” Peter appeared, bewildered to find him there. Chris felt a wave of relief wash over him.
“Peter! Thank goodness! I thought someone had broken in and taken everything! What on earth is happening here?” he asked, approaching for a warm embrace.
“Uh, well… no one broke in,” Peter mumbled, his lips pursed, yet he returned the hug.
Chris noticed the odd look in his grandson’s eyes. “So what’s really going on?”
“We, um… wanted to surprise you,” Peter started.
“We?”
“Yes, Hannah and I. She’s here,” Peter motioned as Hannah stepped into view.
“Hello, Mr. Harvey! So lovely to see you again,” she smiled, giving him a quick kiss on the cheek.
“Thank you! But what’s going on with my house?” Chris asked, still confused.
Peter and Hannah exchanged a quick, nervous glance before Peter explained, “We wanted to remodel it while you were in the hospital. It really needed some TLC, and we thought it would lift your spirits. But I guess you got out sooner than we anticipated.”
Chris smiled, grateful for their thoughtfulness but a hint of worry flickered in his mind. “That’s wonderful! But I hope you’re not spending too much money…”
“Oh no, don’t worry. I’ve got a guy,” Hannah replied, her smile not quite reaching her eyes.
“That’s great! And what about my things? Where are all my belongings?”
“They’re, um… in storage for now, except for a few things we thought you might want to get rid of. They’re outside, waiting for the trash pick-up. We had to move things around for the remodeling,” Peter stammered. “The bedrooms still have everything else. No need to worry; we’ll make it cozy again.”
“Thank you so much! You’re incredible!” Chris beamed, embracing them both tightly. He felt touched by their kindness and wished to cherish the family connection. “Now, I have to pick up some prescriptions but I’ll be back shortly.”
“Sure!” Peter and Hannah replied in unison, their voices a bit too forced.
Chris noticed their odd behavior but brushed it off as he headed to the nearby pharmacy.
Upon returning a short while later, he found the living room empty. Curious, he followed the sound of voices coming from Angelina’s old bedroom and stopped short when he overheard Hannah’s harsh words.
“What are we going to do, you idiot?” she spat at Peter, and Chris had never heard her speak that way.
“Hannah, calm down. It’s fine. It just messes with our plans a little,” Peter tried to calm her.
“Plans? A little? You told me he was dying, and this was going to be our house! That’s why we’re spending all this money on it!” Hannah snapped.
Chris’s eyes widened in shock as he listened in silence.
“Hannah, it’s fine. The house will eventually be mine, and he has plenty of money saved up. Just think of it as an investment,” Peter replied, his voice tinged with frustration.
Hannah was seething. “No! We are cutting off any more spending, and I don’t care about him! Tomorrow, we’re catching a plane back home. This is a waste of time!”
“We can’t leave the house like this!”
“Yes, WE CAN, AND WE WILL! That’s final!” she shouted, and at that moment, Chris had heard enough. He turned around and walked back to the front door, pretending to have just returned from the pharmacy.
“I wanted to express my gratitude for all the work you’ve done on my house,” he announced, letting the tension hang thick in the air. “Because I plan to enjoy it for the rest of my life.”
Both Peter and Hannah instantly masked their surprise, resuming their casual demeanor as they discussed dinner plans with Chris. But he now saw their true colors, and it was time to teach them a hard lesson.
As the three of them sat on the empty living room floor, sharing a meal of spaghetti and meatballs—one of Peter’s favorites—Chris finally cleared his throat and prepared to spea
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