Emma and her newlywed husband, Dylan, were dancing in their wedding. They were happy and enjoying their time.
She noticed the hotel manager, where they were holding the reception, Mr. Scotliff was walking towards her.
“Please, excuse the interruption,” the man interrupted their dancing, and continued as, “But there’s someone outside asking to see you, Mrs. Henderson.”
Emma asked, “Who?”
The manager said, “She’s said she’s your grandmother, Martha.”
Dylan, her husband said, “I’ll tell her to go.”
“No, she’ll make a scene. I’ll go see what this is about.” Emma sighed, as she walked outside.
Martha was waiting for her granddaughter, and when she saw her, she said, “You are the most beautiful bride. You look just perfect, darling,” as she tried to hold her granddaughter’s hand, but Emma moved back.
“What are you doing here? You weren’t invited for a reason,” Emma said.
“I don’t think you need to be reminded.”
Martha said, as she was holding her tears back, “I know, Emma, I have to see my only granddaughter get married.”
“You need to go,” Emma said, as she was crossing her arms. “My father would be here if it wasn’t for what you did. Wait, what you didn’t do.”
“I’m sorry, dear…” Martha said silently, “I do regret what I did. I only came over to give you a wedding gift, darling,” she said, as she handed over a ring box.
“This was all I could get you,” Marha said, as she held Emma’s hands. “I hope you like it.”
“What is this?” Emma asked. “A tiny piece of cheap jewelry? How did you get it in the first place? Did you steal it from someone?”
“Oh dear, I—” Emma cut Martha’s words, “If it weren’t for your greed, my father would be here today! And he would’ve been the happiest to see me get married. He would walk me down the aisle, and…” Emma stopped as she was crying. “Just get lost! I don’t want to see you ever again!”
“I hope you don’t hate me forever, sweetheart,” Martha responded.
“Please know that I have always adored you.”
As Martha was leaving slowly, Emma watched her go away. She was standing there alone.
“What an ugly thing!” She said as she looked at the jewelry box, and she throw it away.
“Oh god!” Dylan said, “Why would you do that?”
As the box opened, a ring with a huge emerald stone fell to the ground, as something spilled under it. As Emma was crying she remembered the past.
It was many years ago, she entered to the her father’s lawyer’s office.
“I don’t have good news, kid,” said Mr. Morgan. Then, he started to talk about her father’s file. The people who reported Johnny, her father, wanted some compensation. When Mr. Morgan said the amount of money they wanted, she was shocked.
“I don’t have that kind of money,” Emma said, “Is there no other way?”
“If we don’t pay them, we’ll go to court, and Mr. Colby will most likely go to jail… for a very long time.” Mr. Morgan said.
“No!” Emma cried.
“You need to find this money, kid. It’s the only way,” Mr. Morgan said.
“I’ll do it. I’ll find a way,” she said.
She had two options, she would either go to a bank and get a loan, or she could go to her grandmother, Martha. She decided to go to her.
“Emma?” Martha said, when she saw her granddaughter at her doorstep. “What’s happened to you, honey? Oh dear, you look so pale! Let me guess…it’s the lawyer! What did he say?”
As Emma explained the situation, she ended, “Dad will go to jail if we don’t pay.”
“Oh, Emma. I’m sorry, but I can’t help you,” Martha said, “I don’t have that kind of money.”
“Yes, you can, Gran. Please,” Emma pleaded. “If we sell the bakery, we will have more than enough.”
“My bakery? It’s all I have, Emma. It’s my life’s work. I can’t sell it.” Martha responded.
“Gran!” Emma was in tears, “It’s about Dad! Do you want him to rot in prison?”
“No, honey. But I just can’t sell it. How would I live after?” Martha added. “Your father will certainly not support me. So, no, Emma. I will not sell.”
As Emma went angry, she shouted, “If you don’t help us, I’ll never talk to you again. How can you abandon your family? I HATE YOU!”
Sadly, as Emma couldn’t find the money, her father went into the prison. Emma had visited her father as much as she could. She promised that she will never abandon him.
Six months later, as she was grocery shopping, her phone ranged. “Am I speaking with Mr. Colby’s daughter?” A man said on the phone. “This is Inspector Harrison, ma’am.”
“Yes? What is this about?” Emma asked.
“I’m very sorry, ma’am,” the man said. “Your father…I don’t know how to say this, but…he died late last night in his cell. It was a heart attack. He passed quickly.”
Emma’s heart skipped a beat. She started to cry in the middle of the shopping center.
“Emma! Emma!” Dylan brought back Emma to present, as he was trying to calm her down.
“Hmm, what?” She said, as she come herself.
“Where’s your grandmother?” He asked.
“She left…” Emma said, “For good. Let’s head inside.”
She throw the jewelry box again, which Dylan yelled, “Emma!”
“Careful! What’s that?”
Then the box broke down, and the ring fell down. It had a huge stone. “Emma, is that diamond ring?” He asked.
“There’s no way. How could she afford this?” Emma said, as she examined the ring.
Then she found a letter in the box. It was from her grandmother, Martha.
“Dear Emma,
I know you hate me for what I did, dear, but your father was not a nice man, Emma. He did terrible things and didn’t care about the consequences or the people he hurt. I told my daughter not to marry him, but she didn’t listen, and I know it’s his fault she didn’t want to live anymore.
I know I could’ve saved him from jail, but he didn’t deserve it. He also didn’t deserve such a loving daughter. There’s so much you don’t know, but I wanted to keep the bakery for you, not me. I hope you can understand what I did and why one day. Please, don’t hate me and take this ring as part of my wedding present. A lawyer will reach you about the other part.
Love you to the moon and back,
Gran.”
“Oh God,” Emma said, as she started to cry again.
On the next day, she went to her grandmother’s house. She went there for the first time, since she wanted her help. But it was weird. There were two big trucks outside of the house. People were moving stuff out of her house.
She went there and asked for an explanation, but the workers had no idea what Emma was talking about.
Then Emma went to the neighbor of her grandmother, Judy invited Emma inside.
“What are you doing here, darling? I miss Martha very much,” Judy said.
“What? What do you mean?” Emma asked.
“She moved weeks ago. Two or three, maybe. She told me she was selling the house to give it to you. It was after her diagnosis,” Judy said.
“What?” Emma was confused.
“She didn’t tell you. Martha was diagnosed with skin cancer. Stage four,”
“Judy, I’m so sorry for being rude, but I need my grandmother immediately!” Emma stopped Judy.
“Frank’s, I think,” she said.
“Thanks,” Emma said and left.
Frank’s was a motel in the town. They were going there for vacations, when Emma was a child. As she went there, she asked for her grandmother’s room.
“Oh, the grandmother,” the woman at the desk said. “Huh, let me get my manager.”
“No! Give me her room. I have to talk to her now!” Emma cried.
“She died last night. Housekeeping found her earlier. The coroner already took the body away,” the receptionist said, as she was sad.
Emma slowly left the motel, and fell down to her knees. She cried uncontrollably, and screamed. But it was too late.
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