Losing my grandmother was hard enough, but nothing had prepared me for Mrs. Jenkins, her demanding neighbor. After refusing her bizarre request to see the will, she started a confrontation on my porch, forcing me to confront her audacity.
My grandmother recently passed away. While I was devastated after losing her, I also had to deal with the tragedy caused by my grandmother’s neighbor, Mrs. Jenkins. Before I get to that part of the story, let me explain what happened.
An old woman | Source: Midjourney
It all started when my grandmother was diagnosed with cancer. She chose not to seek treatment. She had seen my grandfather suffer from chemo and didn’t want to go through the same thing.
It was difficult for us to accept her wish, but we decided to let her do what she wanted. If she didn’t want to undergo treatment, she wouldn’t.
Over the next year, she began giving away her belongings. One day, she called her three children and their families to her home and asked each of them to make a list of the items they wanted.
Close-up of an old woman | Source: Midjourney
“Here’s an open invitation for all of you,” she said. “You can choose anything you want from my shop and take it home with you. Just give me a list of the items you like, okay?”
Even though it seemed like a golden opportunity to take everything we wanted from her home, we couldn’t. There were rules to follow. Some heirlooms were meant for specific family members. We all knew what they were and who they were for.
That was the last time we saw her happily chatting with everyone.
A family sitting together for dinner | Source: Pexels
A few weeks later, she passed away peacefully in her sleep. We were all sad that she left us, but she was able to reunite with her grandfather, right?
After her death, everything related to her will was handled quite easily. My grandmother was an intelligent woman and knew how to manage everything on her own.
According to her will, she left her house to my father, while her siblings received money, jewelry, and other valuables.
A house | Source: Pexels
Dad was very happy to move into this house, as this was where he had spent his entire childhood.
“Every room reminds me of the good times we had there,” he said. “I’m going to redecorate the house and make it look exactly as it did 40 years ago.”
Unfortunately, fate did not give him the opportunity to carry out his plans.
Just two weeks after my grandmother died, my father also died.
A man standing in front of a house | Source: Midjourney
It was so sudden. I mean, one day he was completely fine, and the next day he wouldn’t open his eyes in the morning.
My father’s death was a shock to all of us. After his funeral, his lawyer summoned me to his office.
“Jacqueline, since you’re Mr. Parker’s only child, he left you everything,” the lawyer told me. “Including the house he inherited from your grandmother two weeks ago.”
I wasn’t expecting this. The next thirty minutes passed while the lawyer explained my next steps.
A lawyer in his office | Source: Pexels
I think he already knew that I had no knowledge of the legal side of things, which is why he was willing to help me with everything.
A month later, I was sliding boxes into Grandma’s house, installing the cabinets and kitchen furniture. I had finally moved into the house Dad wanted to live in. It took me a few days to settle in, surrounded by memories of my grandmother and father. At this point, I thought everything was settled, but I was wrong.
Cardboard boxes in a house | Source: Pexels
The day after I finished unpacking, a loud knock at the door almost made me jump.
“I’m coming!” I said, drying my hands with the towel on the kitchen island.
My grandmother’s neighbor stood on my porch with her arms crossed. My grandmother always called her “that entitled woman,” and soon, I would call her the same.
“Hello,” I said.
“Who are you?” she asked me without greeting.
“I’m Jacqueline. And you?”
A serious woman | Source: Midjourney
I knew who she was. It was Mrs. Jenkins, the lady with two annoying grandchildren.
“I guess you’re Maureen’s granddaughter. Your grandmother promised me something,” she said.
“Oh, really?” I asked. I was genuinely surprised.
“Actually, I wanted to see the will,” she said.
“The will? It only included family members, Mrs. Jenkins,” I told her.
“Your grandmother loved my grandchildren like her own, you know,” she began. “I just wanted to see the will to see if they were going to get anything.”
Close-up of an old woman’s face | Source: Midjourney
I almost choked. Grandma was always complaining about those kids. They came uninvited, used her water to fill their pool, and even called her “Grandma” even though she told them not to.
Mrs. Jenkins had the nerve to ask if her grandchildren could go around the house and take whatever souvenirs they wanted. I couldn’t believe my ears.
“Mrs. Jenkins,” I said, trying to stay calm, “my grandmother died four weeks ago. And I lost my father only two weeks ago. This isn’t the best timing.”
A woman standing on her doorstep | Source: Midjourney
“My grandchildren were keen to claim some family heirlooms,” she whispered. “How long am I supposed to wait for our share of the inheritance?! They’re coming, and I want them to have their share before they go!”
I was baffled. Why didn’t she understand that Grandma hadn’t left anything to her grandchildren? How could I make her understand?
I thought I was being nice when I offered to look through the boxes I’d packed to give away. But, boy, was she offended! You’d think I’d insulted her entire family tree.
A distraught old woman | Source: Midjourney
“Cardboard boxes to give away?! Your grandmother was like family to us! We had to be mentioned in the will! Give it to me! I have to see it for myself!”
I was so frustrated at that moment that I reminded myself to breathe. I knew this woman and her grandchildren were just next-door neighbors and had never done anything extraordinary for my grandmother.
After telling her “no” several times, I finally slammed the door in her face. But Mrs. Jenkins wasn’t done.
A closed door | Source: Pexels
She refused to leave my porch, insisting I was lying about the will. She was convinced Grandma had left something for her and her grandchildren.
About thirty minutes passed, and she continued to peek out the windows. I was starting to get fed up. That’s when an idea crossed my mind. If this lady thought she was part of the family, then she must also share all the family’s problems, right?
I simply took a pen and a piece of paper and started writing. When I was finished, I went back to the door.
A woman writing on paper | Source: Pexels
“Mrs. Jenkins,” I called. She turned around, probably thinking I’d changed my mind.
I handed him the paper. “Here, if you’re really part of the family, help ‘your’ family get through this, and then we can talk.”
Her eyes nearly popped out of her head when she saw what I’d written. It was a bill for her share of Grandma’s medical bills, attorney fees, and funeral expenses. The amount was quite high—after all, Grandma had been ill for some time, and funerals aren’t cheap.
Close-up of an old woman’s face | Source: Midjourney
Mrs. Jenkins’s jaw dropped. “This is crazy!” she exclaimed.
I shrugged. “Is that crazy? My grandmother died of cancer, Mrs. Jenkins. You must know how expensive the medical and funeral costs were. After all, you were so close to her, weren’t you?”
She stamps her foot like a child having a tantrum. “This is crazy! Your grandmother would be ashamed of you!”
This was the final straw. I’d had enough of his entitlement and his disrespect for my family’s grief.
An angry woman | Source: Midjourney
“Mrs. Jenkins,” I said, my voice low and firm. “My grandmother would be ashamed of you. She put up with your nonsense for years out of politeness, but she never considered you family. Now, I ask you one last time to leave my property. If you don’t, I will call the police and file a harassment complaint.”
Her face went through a rainbow of colors: red, purple, then ghostly white. Without another word, she turned on her heel and left my porch.
An old woman walking away | Source: Pexels
As I watched her retreat, I felt a mixture of emotions. Anger at her audacity, sadness at the loss of my grandmother and father, and a strange sense of pride. I had defended my family and our memories.
I looked around the house, taking in all the familiar objects that held so many stories. Each one was a piece of my family history, meant to be cherished and passed down from generation to generation. These weren’t just items to be distributed to entitled neighbors.
Interior of a house | Source: Midjourney
As I closed the door, I couldn’t help but smile. Somehow, I was convinced my grandmother was looking down on me, proud of the way I had treated “that entitled lady.” And in that moment, surrounded by the warmth of family memories, I felt closer to her than ever.
If you enjoyed reading this story, here’s another one you might like: When Judy discovers that her teenage son has stolen and used his grandmother’s money to satisfy his gambling addiction, she has no choice but to teach him a lesson he’ll never forget.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the story. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, or to actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims regarding the accuracy of events or character portrayals and are not responsible for any misinterpretations. This story is provided “as is,” and all opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the opinions of the author or publisher.
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