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.”
Tom looked disgusted. “You guys insist on making me hug Grandma. I hate hugging old people. You have to buy me candy.”
Frank ruffled his hair. “If you can keep Grandma happy these few days, I’ll buy you candy every day.”
Tom beamed. “Great! Flattering Grandma is easy—she's so gullible. I just give her a hug and she thinks I adore her.”
The family of three laughed heartily, while my heart sank to the bottom.
My train was about to depart. Without hesitation, I bought a new ticket and boarded at the last moment.
On my way home, Frank and Lily kept calling me, but I immediately blocked them.
Four hours later, I returned to my own home. Lying on my familiar bed, I slept more soundly than I had in half a year.
Early the next morning, I got up to cook. I cooked my favorite dishes, without having to worry about my son's family's preferences.
At this time, there was a rough pounding on the door outside that startled me.
I barely cracked the door open before Frank and Ivy barged in, followed by a large group of relatives.
Each had a grim expression and it seemed they were ready to confront me.
Frank sat on the sofa, arms crossed, scowling. “Mom, what's going on?”
“You promised to come back home with us — how could you just get on the train without saying anything?”
