Jessica never appreciated her grandmother Donna and she would often mock her. In fact, when she got married, she didn’t even invite the poor woman. But the young lady regretted her decision when she opened her grandma’s wedding gift.
Jessica was born and raised in New York with business-oriented parents. Since she was a single child, she’d always been the center of attraction in her family, and her parents and grandmother had never let any of her requests go unanswered.
However, Jessica never appreciated their efforts and took them for granted. In fact, when she visited Donna’s house in Texas during her summer vacations, she was constantly annoyed with her, and when Donna’s health began to fail her, and she moved to New York, things only got worse.
Donna gifted an old chest to Jessica as a wedding present | Photo: Shutterstock
One day, Donna decided to accompany Jessica to school because her parents had to leave urgently for work. Donna held Jessica’s hand at the crossing before the school because she was afraid to cross the road, but instead of standing by her grandmother, Jessica lashed out at her.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” she snapped. “My friends will mock me if they see me coming to school with a poor old lady like you, so cross the road by yourself.”
Donna’s eyes welled up with tears. She swallowed her tears and struggled to cross the street that day, but Jessica wasn’t done mocking her.
Upon reaching the school, she didn’t even let Donna enter the campus. “You don’t have to come in, Grandma,” Jessica remarked. “You’ve already bothered me enough for the day, so go back home and ask mom to pick me up.”
The frail 80-year-old woman somehow hid her tears at her granddaughter’s remarks and strolled back home, hoping that things would change over time, but unfortunately, that did not happen.
Donna was hurt by Jessica’s words | Photo: Pexels
When Jessica turned 25, she announced her engagement to Edward. He was the son of her father’s business partner and was quite wealthy.
The families had planned for the wedding to take place a month after the engagement at the best wedding venue in New York. So when Jessica was putting together the guest list, she made sure Donna wasn’t on it.
“I have added everyone except Grandma because she won’t be coming,” Jessica said while they were discussing the wedding guests. “And I don’t want to talk about it any further.”
“But, honey,” her father explained, “she’s your grandmother. We can’t just abandon her like that!”
“He’s right, Jess,” her mother continued. “You can’t be so rude to her.”
“See guys, it’s MY wedding. Edward and I have waited for this moment for so long, and I don’t want to ruin it. Grandma is not up to our standard; let’s accept that, okay. So, SHE’S NOT COMING. Anyway, she’s living off us, so I don’t know how you guys will talk it out with her but make this clear to her,” Jessica said and walked away.
When everyone sat down for breakfast the following day, Jessica’s parents were still debating how to tell Donna about the conversation they had with their daughter the night before.
Donna was not invited to Jessica’s wedding | Photo: Pexels
But Donna had overhead everything, so before anyone else said anything, she spoke up. “I’m sorry, everyone,” she began. “I know Jessica’s wedding is next month, but I don’t think I’ll be able to attend.”
“That’s sad, Grandma,” Jessica responded, trying to hide her delight at her grandmother’s words. “But it’s okay, I understand.”
“I’m sure you do, honey,” Donna remarked. “I wish you two a happy married life!” Then the poor woman got up and left.
Jessica’s wedding took place a month later, and everything went exactly as she had planned. The wedding hall was beautiful, and most importantly, Donna wasn’t there. Jessica was thrilled, to say the least. But the next day, when she answered the door, she saw Donna standing there with an old chest in her hand.
“What on earth are you doing here?” Jessica exploded. “I told my in-laws you weren’t feeling well, that’s why you didn’t show up to the wedding. Do you want to expose me as a liar in front of them? Is this some sort of retaliation?”
“No, honey,” Donna clarified. “I just came to say hello and to give you your wedding gift. I could have parceled it to you, but I wanted to give it to you personally.”
Donna showed up at Jessica’s doorstep the next day | Photo: Pexels
“There was no need for that, and I don’t need anything from you, so just go!” Jessica chastised. But then Edward came in and interrupted them. “What a delightful surprise, Mrs. Matthews! I heard you were ill. Are you feeling any better now?”
“Of course I am!” Donna cracked a grin. “I just came to say hello to you two. I’m sorry I couldn’t attend the wedding.”
“Oh, it’s fine!” Edward explained. “Please come in.”
Edward escorted Donna inside, served her tea, and later drove her home. Jessica spoke politely to Donna in front of everyone and accepted her gift, but when she left, she threw it in the corner of her room and forgot about it.
In fact, she never contacted Donna after that day, and a few weeks later, she left with Edward for their honeymoon in Las Vegas. When she returned, though, she learned Donna had passed away. But Jessica was hardly concerned and was instead preoccupied with deciding which brand to wear to the funeral.
Finally, after two hours of perusing her outfits, she decided on a Gucci dress. She went on to look for matching earrings when her attention was drawn to the chest Donna had given her.
Donna had left a letter for Jessica | Photo: Pexels
Oh, poor thing! Jessica said as she glanced at the rusty box. She could never match our standards. Did she really think I’d accept this disgusting chest as a gift?
However, when she opened it, her expression changed. The chest included an expensive diamond pendant, a photo album, and a note addressed to her on the top. Jessica unfolded the letter and began to read it.
“I’m sorry I could never provide you with the things you loved, Jessica,” it began. “But trust me, I love you a lot. I wanted to be the best grandmother to you, but fate had other plans for us.
“Anyway, I wish you a happy married life, honey. Edward is a wonderful man. Please accept this small gift from Grandma as a wedding present. And don’t be mad at me because I didn’t ask your parents for money. I used my savings and decided to give you something you’d like. I hope you won’t be ashamed of me this time. Love, Grandma Donna.”
Jessica’s eyes welled up as she finished reading the letter. She cautiously opened the pendant, and when she looked closer, she noticed a childhood photo of her with her grandma cuddling. They looked sweet and happy. The woman also looked through all her childhood pics in the big old photo album.
Jessica found a pendant inside the chest | Photo: Pexels
Jessica couldn’t fight back the tears at this point. “I’m so sorry, grandma. I always hated you, but all you did was love me. I’m sorry!” She burst out crying.
Later that day, when everyone left after the funeral, she sat beside her grandmother’s grave, clutching the old scarf that she always wore.
“I’m sorry, grandma,” she sobbed, holding her gift. “That I was never a granddaughter to you. I hope you’re happy wherever you are. I know nothing I do now will change anything, but I just want you to know how much I adore you!”
What can we learn from this story?
- Act before it’s too late. Jessica realized her grandmother’s love for her, but it was too late by then.
- Learn to be kind and respectful. Unlike Jessica, who did nothing but disrespect her grandmother all her life.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a woman who follows the little boy who takes leftovers from her luxury restaurant every day and learns a shocking truth in the process.
Millionaire Mocks Poor Woman with 3 Kids on Business Class Flight until Pilot Interrupts Him — Story of the Day
A millionaire judges a mother-of-three and criticizes her for flying business class, but when the pilot announces their arrival with a special announcement for the woman, all his complaints are washed away.
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“Ugh! You can’t be serious! Are you really making her sit here?! Miss, you better do something about it!” Louis Newman grumbled as he noticed a mother-of-three approaching his adjacent seats with the assistance of a stewardess.
“I’m sorry, sir,” the stewardess replied gently, showing him the tickets. “These seats have been assigned to Mrs. Debbie Brown and her children, and we can’t do anything about it. I’d request you to kindly cooperate with us.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
“You don’t understand, Miss! I have a crucial meeting with foreign investors. Her children will keep chit-chatting and making noises, and I cannot afford to lose this deal!”
“Sir….” The stewardess had just started speaking when Debbie interrupted her. “It’s all right. I can sit somewhere else if the other passengers are willing to swap seats with my children and me. That isn’t an issue for me.”
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“Not at all, ma’am!” the stewardess shot back. “You’re sitting here because you paid for it, and you have the right to be here! It makes no difference whether someone likes it or not, and sir,” she turned to Louis, “I’d appreciate it if you could be patient until the flight is over.”
Millionaire businessman Louis Newman was annoyed that the stewardess had refused his request, but what irritated him even more was that he was forced to sit next to a woman who seemed not to belong to the business class, wearing the cheapest clothes on the flight.
He put on his AirPods to avoid being forced into conversation with the woman and turned his face away as she sat beside him, having helped her children secure themselves tightly to their seats.
Soon, the boarding process was completed, with passengers settling into their assigned seats, and the flight took off. It was the first time Debbie and her children were flying business class, so as the flight left the runway for the skies, the children began chirping in joy. “Mom!” cried her daughter Stacey. “Look, we’re finally flying! Yay!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
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Some passengers on the plane turned to look at Stacey and smiled at her innocence, but Louis had a scornful expression on his face. “Listen,” he said as he faced Debbie. “Could you please ask your children to be quiet? Because I missed my previous flight, I’m joining a meeting from here. I don’t want any kind of disruption.”
“I’m sorry,” Debbie politely replied as she motioned for the children to remain quiet. Louis’s meeting lasted almost the entire flight, and as he spoke, Debbie realized he was a businessman who was mainly into the fabrics industry, as she could see he’d mentioned fabrics frequently and had a handbook with designs.
When Louis’s meeting was finished, Debbie approached him and asked, “Do you mind if I ask you a question?”
Louis didn’t want to talk to her, but since his meeting had gone well and the investors had agreed to the deal, he was quite pleased and let go of his arrogance. “Umm…Yeah, sure, go ahead.”
“I noticed you had a handbook with fabric samples and designs. Do you work in the clothing industry?”
“Uhhh…yeah, you could say that. I own a clothing company in New York. We just closed a deal. I hadn’t really hoped it would work, but it did.”
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“Oh, that’s lovely. Congratulations! Actually, I run a small boutique in Texas. It’s more of a family affair. It was started by my in-laws in New York. We recently opened a unit in Texas. I was really impressed with the designs you were presenting.”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
Louis gave her a sarcastic laugh. “Thanks, lady! But the designs that my company makes are not like some local or family boutique thing; we hire some of the best designers, and we just cracked a deal with the best designing company in the world! A BOUTIQUE, SERIOUSLY?!” He muttered loudly enough while smirking to mock Debbie.
“Oh, well,” Debbie felt humiliated by his comment, but she maintained her composure. “I – I understand. It must be something really huge for you.”
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“Something huge?” Louis smirked, shaking his head. “A poor woman like you would never understand what it means, but it was a million-dollar deal! Let me ask you this again,” he said after pausing for a brief while. “I mean, I saw your tickets and everything. I know you’re here flying business class with us, but trust me, you don’t look like someone who deserves to be here! Maybe try economy the next time and look for people who own boutiques like you?”
Debbie’s patience was wearing thin at this point. “Listen, sir,” she said sternly. “I understand; it’s my first time flying in business class, and I had trouble figuring out the check-in process and everything, but don’t you think you’re getting ahead of yourself? My husband is on the flight with us, but…”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
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Before Debbie could finish her sentence, an announcement over the intercom signaled their arrival at JFK. However, rather than turning off the intercom after his announcement, the pilot, Captain Tyler Brown, had something more to say.
“Also I would like to thank every passenger on this flight, especially my wife Debbie Brown, who is flying with us today. Debbie, honey, I can’t tell you how much your support means to me.”
Louis’s heart skipped a beat and his face flushed with embarrassment when he realized Debbie’s husband was a pilot on the flight.
“This is my first time flying an A-class flight, and I was nervous. Thank you to my wife, who assured me that everything would be fine and decided to accompany me despite her fear of flying in order to put my mind at ease. Today is my first day back at work after a long period of unemployment. My wife and I have never had it easy, and we’ve seen a lot of struggles in our lives, but I’ve never heard Debbie complain about her situation. So, on this day, which also happens to be the day we first met, which I believe my wife has forgotten, I’d like to propose to her again on this flight. DEBBIE, I LOVE YOU, HONEY!”
For illustration purposes only. | Source: Pexels
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Tyler broke the protocol and came out of the pilot’s cabin at this point, proposing to Debbie with a ring on his knees. “Would you like to spend the rest of your life with me again, Mrs. Debbie Brown?”
Everyone on the plane was now fixated on Debbie and her children, who appeared to be the most beautiful family ever. As Debbie nodded yes, teary-eyed, the passengers were all applauding, but Louis was standing there perplexed and embarrassed. But Debbie was not going to let him get away with it. She approached Louis before exiting the plane and said, “A materialistic man like you, who only thinks about money, would never understand how it feels to have a loved one around you. And yes, my husband and I live a humble life, but we are very proud of it!”
What can we learn from this story?
- Never judge a book by its cover. Louis judged Debbie just because she was not wearing expensive clothes like him. It wasn’t right of him to do so.
- True love still exists. Tyler and Debbie adored each other. Their self-sacrifices for one another and Tyler’s surprise gift for her are beautiful examples of this.
If you enjoyed this story, you might like this one about a widower who ran into his wife’s stepdaughter he never knew existed.
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