The more I thought about it, the more wronged and heartbroken I felt. Unable to hold back, I buried my face in my hands and started to sob.
Then I felt a pair of small, warm arms wrap around me.
I heard my grandson Tom's voice. “Grandma, Grandma, don't go. I don't want you to leave.”
When I looked up, I saw Tom cling to me. He sobbed so hard that he could barely catch his breath.
Meanwhile, Frank and Ivy stood awkwardly on the side.
With tears streaming down his face, Tom asked, “Did Mom and Dad bully Grandma? Don't be angry, Grandma. I'll teach them a lesson.”
He actually stood up and kicked Frank.
Frank and Ivy knelt before me, looking ashamed. “Mom, we were wrong,” they pleaded. “Please don’t be angry.”
Frank also cried. "Mom, your slap woke me up. On the way here, I thought about a lot of things.”
“You’ve worked so hard your entire life to raise me. After I got married, I was a little selfish. I didn't see your dedication. I'm such a jerk."
“Mom, hit me.”
He grabbed my hand and slapped himself across the face.
Ivy's voice was full of guilt. "Frank had already scolded me."
"He's right. If my mom were here, I would've turned on the AC long ago. I shouldn't have let you get sick from the cold.”
"As your daughter-in-law, I'm too stingy. I’m sorry. I know I was wrong, Mom. Please don’t hold it against us.”
Frank and Ivy pleaded sincerely to me. And Tom clung tightly to my neck. “Grandma, I beg you—please don't leave, okay?”
Then he planted a big kiss on my cheek.
Looking at my lovely grandson, I nodded.
Tom immediately cheered.
Ivy beamed with joy and took the train ticket from my hand. “Mom, wait here. I’ll go refund your ticket.”
Not long after she left, Tom said he wanted to go to the toilet, so Frank took him there.
I waited in the chair for a while, but they didn't come back, so I got up and went to find them.
Unexpectedly, at the restroom door, I saw the three of them.
Ivy said, “Who would've thought that this old woman really buys a ticket home?”
“What are we going to do if she leaves? Who’ll clean the house? Who’ll pick up the kid?”
“And what about the mortgage, the car payments and the tuition? Is she not going to pay for any of it anymore?”
Frank replied, "So, let her turn on the air conditioner for the next few days."
“Once the house sells, we'll figure out the rest. You’ve got to give up something to get what you want.”