“Take Care of Grandma,” They Said — What She Whispered to Me Changed Everything

Malik counted the bills, grinning. “Not bad for a month of babysitting, huh?”

Eloise laughed. “You mean waiting for that stubborn old woman to finally die so we can sell this place? Maybe move to Florida.”

“She’s a tough old bird,” Malik said. “But the pills will wear her down. And our little money machine will keep sending checks as long as you keep making her feel guilty, Mom.”

He was talking about me.

Grandma clicked another file. On screen, Eloise kicked the side of Grandma’s wheelchair—hard. The chair jolted. Grandma’s frail body shook.

Eloise leaned down. “You’re a burden, you know that? You should’ve died when Earl did.”

She spat on the plate of food and shoved it toward Grandma’s mouth. “Eat. That’s all you deserve.”

I slapped my hand over my mouth.

Another video appeared—dated three days earlier. Malik stumbled in with a woman in a tight dress. Tanisha. His “distant cousin.”

They dropped onto the couch together, far too close.

“So when are you divorcing that little country mouse?” she asked. “I’m tired of sneaking around.”

“As soon as the old woman croaks,” Malik said. “Once the deed is in my name and we sell, we can get out of this dump. But until then, I need her.”

“Your wife?”

“My ATM. She’s too dumb and too loyal to leave. Once we get the house, I’ll throw her out like yesterday’s trash and marry you.”

Tanisha smirked. “Is the medicine working?”

“Oh yeah. High-dose sedatives in her tea every morning. Makes her weaker and weaker. By next week, she’ll be out of our hair.”

I didn’t even realize I was crying until tears slid off my chin.