When Chris Harvey was admitted to the hospital, his daughter sent her son, Peter, to check on him and prepare his house for his return. However, Peter and his wife had different plans. Chris came back to find his home in poor condition, and then he heard something shocking from his grandson.
“Dad, don’t worry. I’ll fix everything. But I can’t visit you right now because I’ve used all my time-off at work,” Angelina told her 87-year-old father, Chris Harvey, when he called her from the hospital.
He had dialed 911 after experiencing a heart episode, thinking it might be serious. The doctors said more tests were needed, and they had to check several things before he could go home. He called his daughter in Miami, asking her to come back to Austin, Texas, to help him.
But she couldn’t make it. “Alright, darling. I believe the doctors are just concerned about my health at my age. They’ll tell me more soon,” he mumbled, holding his cellphone as he lay in his hospital bed.
He told her, “Hannah, relax. It’s okay. It just delays our plans a little,” he reassured her over the phone. Plans?
After they finished the call, the doctors told Chris to stay in the hospital for a few more days to complete their checks and determine his treatment.
“You need to go to Austin and see how your grandfather’s doing. He’s completely alone,” Angelina urged her son, Peter.
“I don’t know if I can, Mom,” he responded. She didn’t take no for an answer.
“Peter, you must look after your grandfather. Who knows how long he’ll live, especially if his heart gets worse? And you’re his only grandson, remember that,” Angelina emphasized. “He always said you’d inherit his house and belongings someday. Maybe you should check the house and see what repairs are needed so he can stay comfortable. It’s also a good chance for you to spend time with him.”
Peter was quiet for a moment. His mother thought he had ended the call. But finally, he replied in a strange tone, “Okay, okay. I’ll go. Hannah will come with me. I think I can get some time off work since I haven’t taken a vacation in a while.”
A few days later, the doctors discharged Chris after giving him various medications. They warned him to avoid overexerting himself because he needed to be cautious with his health.
Chris listened but wasn’t fully paying attention. He was worried because Angelina didn’t call the day before and told him Peter planned to stay with him.
He didn’t have Peter’s phone number but hoped to see him at the house. So he took a taxi from the hospital to his home.
What he found stunned him. There was furniture on his lawn that he recognized. His front door was slightly open, even though the paramedics had closed it after taking him to the hospital. What was happening?
But the most shocking moment was when he stepped inside. His entire house was empty. All the paintings, his military memorabilia, the credenza, the kitchen table and chairs—all gone. In some areas, there were plastic sheets indicating construction or painting.
“Hello?” he called out, hearing footsteps from the hallway near the bedrooms.
“Grandpa?” Peter asked, surprised to see him. Chris ignored the question for a moment, breathing a sigh of relief.
“Peter! Oh, thank God! I thought someone had broken in and taken everything I own. What is going on here, my boy?” he asked as he approached to give his grandson a firm hug.
“Oh, well… no one broke in,” Peter mumbled, returning the hug with pursed lips.
Finally, Chris realized something was off. “What’s happening then?”
“I… we actually wanted to surprise you,” Peter started.
“We?”
“Yes, Hannah and I. She’s here,” Peter said, turning to call her from the hallway. “Honey!”
She appeared, eyes wide at seeing Chris.
“Hello, Mr. Harvey. It’s nice to see you,” she said.
“Hi, dear! It’s so good to see you. I haven’t seen you since your wedding,” Chris smiled and kissed her cheek. “So, what’s going on with my house?”
Peter and Hannah exchanged quick, uncertain glances, but Peter answered first. “We wanted to remodel it before you left the hospital. It was badly in need of fixing, and we thought this would make you feel better. But you ended up leaving sooner than expected.”
Chris beamed at them, thinking how thoughtful they were. “That’s lovely! But I hope you’re not spending too much money.”
“No, no. I know someone who can help,” Hannah said, hands in her pockets, trying to sound casual. Her smile was awkward, but Chris didn’t notice.
“So, what about my belongings? Where are they?”
“They’re in… storage, for now. A few things we’re replacing as gifts. Those are outside, waiting for the trash collectors. We had to put them there for the remodel,” Peter explained, pausing briefly. “But the bedrooms still have everything. You can sleep comfortably.”
“Thank you. That’s very kind of you. I’m so happy to see my family.” Chris hugged them both tightly. His happiness was overwhelming. “I need to get some prescriptions, but I’ll be back soon.”
When he returned from the pharmacy, he didn’t see Peter or Hannah in the living room. He heard voices coming from Angelina’s old bedroom and went to ask what was for dinner. But something Hannah said made him stop cold.
“What kind of idiot are you?” she yelled, her voice harsh and angry. Chris had never heard her speak that way to Peter.
“Hannah, calm down. It’s okay. It’s just messing with our plans,” he replied soothingly. Plans?
“Messing with our plans? You said he was dying! We were supposed to make this house ours. That’s why we spent so much. Why would I dip into my savings to fix someone else’s house when we still rent?” Hannah was furious.
Chris’ eyes widened. He covered his mouth, trying not to make a sound. He wanted to listen further.
“Hannah, it’s fine. The house will be ours someday. He has plenty of saved money. Think of it as investing,” Peter explained, frustration clear in his voice.
But Hannah exploded. “No! We’re not spending another dime. I don’t care about him! Tomorrow, I’m leaving. This was all a waste.”
“We can’t just leave it like this!”
“YES, WE CAN. And we will,” she yelled. Finally, Chris decided enough was enough. He went back to the front door, acting like he had just arrived from the pharmacy.
He called out, “I wanted to thank you both for all the work on my house… because I plan to enjoy it for many years.”
They acted like nothing was wrong, chatting about dinner plans. But Chris now knew the truth. It was time to teach them a lesson.
He was eating spaghetti and meatballs on the empty floor when he finally cleared his throat.
“Peter, I need to talk to you about something important,” he said. Peter and Hannah looked up sharply. “I’ve decided to move into a nursing home. I don’t want another emergency while I’m alone. It’s the right choice, and I think you two should have the house.”
Peter and Hannah looked shocked. “Are you serious?” his grandson asked happily.
“Yes, I am.”
“Thank you, Grandpa! This is an honor. We’ll make the house look so good,” Peter said, and Hannah nodded in agreement.
Over the following weeks, they renovated the house. They had stored some of Chris’s belongings but got rid of others, pretending everything was fine. But it wasn’t.
Finally, the house was ready, and Chris suggested a housewarming party. He told Peter and Hannah he was moving into the nursing home soon and they should get ready to live there permanently.
They planned a small gathering, inviting friends from Miami. Everything seemed fine initially. They ate, talked, and enjoyed themselves until Chris stood and made a toast.
“I’d like to thank my grandson and his wife,” he began. Everyone cheered. “Thanks for all your work on my house… because I plan to enjoy it for the rest of my days.”
The guests thought Chris was moving out, so his toast caught them off guard. Peter and Hannah looked confused.
“Did you know they came thinking I’d die soon? They remodeled, gave away my things, and started working as if it was their house. When I came back from the hospital unexpectedly, they were just going to leave me here, with a half-finished, empty home,” Chris explained, causing the guests to realize how awkward and tense the evening was becoming.
“Grandpa, can we go somewhere private?” Peter asked. But Chris shook his head.
“No need. I overheard what you two said. So, you pretended to care for me, but then planned to take my house. That’s not happening. I’ve already changed my will. When I die, this house goes to charity,” he declared, shocking everyone.
Hannah blushed, trying to hide her embarrassment. Chris drew everyone’s attention again.
“Now,” he raised his voice, “GET OUT OF MY HOUSE BEFORE I CALL THE POLICE!”
Peter and his friends hurried to leave. Peter kept trying to speak, but Chris refused to listen. “GET OUT!” he demanded. Peter and Hannah exited hastily.
The next day, Chris told Angelina everything. He hadn’t told her earlier because he wanted to protect her feelings. Now, everything was out in the open.
Chris shared with her what her son had done and how they planned to take his house. He kept it secret at first, but he knew she needed to know the truth.
Chris lived for eleven more years. As he had planned, his lawyer sold his house and donated the money, along with his estate, to a charity supporting seniors.
What lessons can we take from this story?
- Nobody has the right to take someone else’s property. Peter believed the house was already his but ignored his grandfather’s health.
- Sometimes it’s best to cut ties with family members if they harm you. Chris ended his relationship with his grandson after his betrayal and didn’t look back.
