I trusted him.
Grandma has always been the heart of our family. The house that belonged to her was the place where we spent holidays, where we learned our first life lessons, and where you could always count on a warm meal and open arms. When her health began to deteriorate, my brother, Marcin, offered to take care of the formalities related to her care. I trusted him – he was older, more familiar with official matters. I never thought he would use this situation against all of us.
One day, coming home from work, I noticed that Grandma's house was locked up tight. The blinds were down, and there were no curtains on the windows. Surprised, I called Marcin.
– „Marcin, what's going on with Grandma's house? Why does it look like no one lives there anymore?”
There was a moment of silence on the line, after which Marcin replied:
– „Don't worry, I'm taking care of it. Grandma's in good hands now.”
– „What does that mean? Where's Grandma?”
– „I put her in a nursing home. She needs professional help, and we couldn't give her everything she needed.”
I couldn't believe what I was hearing. How could he make such a decision without me knowing? Without talking to grandma?
– „Marcin, how could you? Grandma never wanted to go to a nursing home! She had everything she needed right here!”
– „Ania, stop being so dramatic. It was the best decision. Besides, the house is empty, so we can sell it. Why let it sit there useless?”
I felt the ground slipping from under my feet. Grandma always said that this house was her life, that she wanted to stay in it until the end of her days. And now Marcin not only took away what she loved the most, but planned to profit financially from it.
The next day I went to the nursing home to visit my grandmother. I found her in a small, cold room, sitting in a wheelchair. When she saw me, her eyes filled with tears.
– “Ania, why did you leave me here? What did I do wrong?– she asked, and her words were like a knife to the heart.
– “Grandma, I didn't know anything about this. I swear I'll take care of it.”
I returned to Marcin, full of anger.
– „How could you do this? Grandma's unhappy, and all you think about is money!”
Marcin shrugged.
– „Ania, you have to think practically. The house needed renovation, and we don't have time to take care of grandma anyway. A nursing home is the best solution.”
– „Best for whom? For her or for you? Because it looks like you're the one who'll benefit from this!”
Marcin didn't deny it. I knew he wanted to sell the house to get money for his plans – a new car, a vacation abroad. He didn't care that in this way he destroyed our grandmother's dreams and peace.
I decided to act. I contacted a lawyer to check if Marcin had the right to make such decisions on his own. It turned out that the house still belonged to my grandmother, and without her consent it was impossible to sell it. I also decided to talk to Grandma about her rights and help her get back home.
– „Grandma, if you want, I'll take you out of there. We can go back to your house like you always wanted.”
Her eyes brightened again.
– „Really, Ania? I thought everyone had forgotten about me.”
– „I would never leave you, Grandma. I promise we'll come back home.”
Marcin tried to convince me that I was acting impulsively, that this was all pointless. But for me, there was no other option. Grandma deserved a decent life, in a place she loved.
After a few weeks of fighting, I managed to bring grandma back to her home. Seeing her smile when she crossed the threshold of her apartment again was the greatest reward for me. Marcin broke off contact with me, offended that I had thwarted his plans. But I don't regret it.
Today grandma is back in her home, and I help her as much as I can. Marcin has become a stranger to me – someone who betrays his family does not deserve trust. This story taught me that sometimes you have to fight for what's important, even if it means confronting those closest to you. My grandma always said that family is the most important thing. Now I know that these aren't just words – it's a responsibility that we must carry, even in the most difficult moments.
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