Alice was at the dinner table with her parents, Lisa and Terry. It was Lisa’s birthday and the table was full. Despite the happy air in the room, Alice was not happy.
She was missing her grandpa Ted. He would always be present in family gatherings, but not today. She loved her grandpa, who would tell her stories and bring gifts.
Since last year, Alice didn’t see her grandpa. She had no idea why he was not visiting, but it was making her sad.
The last time she saw grandpa Ted, her mother and her grandpa were having a fight. More than a fight, Lisa was constantly yelling at Ted. She never saw her mother that much angry.
Grandpa Ted was smelling bad that day, and he was also couldn’t talk properly. They were talking about some promise and something Ted swore that he would do never again.
When Alice decided to ask her mother, Lisa said, “Grandpa Ted made some bad decisions, and we don’t need to see him anymore. It’s better this way.”
Then Terry asked about Ted’s kidney treatment, and how will he afford it.
Lisa stopped them. She didn’t want to talk about her father in her birthday. Few minutes later, Alice wanted to go back to her room. She was crying when she was in her room.
But she learned something. Her grandfather needed money for a treatment. Maybe that was the reason why he was not present.
She then saw her piggy bank, where she was putting money in for years. She was going to buy a bike for herself as she was saving it for, but since her grandpa needed the money, she decided to give it to him.
She then took a towel and wrapped her piggy bank. She hit it on the corner of her desk, and took all the money in it. She then silently slipped out of the home to go to her grandpa. She knew that her mother wouldn’t allow her if she would ask.
The hour was late. She got into the last bus, and went to her grandpa Ted’s home.
When Ted saw his granddaughter in front of him, he was shocked and his eyes got wet.
“Alice! What are you doing here, sweetheart?”
Alice hugged to her grandpa. Then she explained that she heard he needed money for some kind of treatment so she decided to bring her savings for a new bicycle to him. “I came to help you, Grandpa,” she said.
As Ted shed tears, he thanked to his granddaughter and refused the money.
“This is the kindest thing anyone has ever done for me. But… I don’t think this money will be enough to cure what’s wrong. But what you’ve given me tonight is worth far more than any medicine—your love and care.”
Then Alice asked why her mother was mad at him. Ted became upset. He told Alice that Lisa gave him money for treatment, but he used the money for drinking alcohol, as he had a problem with drinking.
He stated that he let his daughter down, and that was the reason why Lisa was mad at him.
Then Alice asked why her grandpa did it, why he upset her mom.
“Because I was weak, and I made a mistake,” Ted cried.
While they were talking, Alice and Terry came out of their car. They thought that Alice was in there when they couldn’t find her and saw that her piggy bank was broken.
While Lisa was about to yell at Alice, she turned to her mother and said, “I gave Grandpa all my money, Mom. He’s sorry for what he did. Can’t we help him?”
When she saw her daughter and her father crying, Lisa’s heart got softened. She offered help to her father, with only one condition. He would stay sober.
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