When Edith, at the age of 80, found herself unable to walk and reliant on a wheelchair, her son Henry made the difficult decision to move her into a nursing home. However, as time passed, Henry came to regret his choice, as he felt the weight of karma bearing down on him. Determined to make amends, he resolved to bring Edith back home. Yet, upon arriving at the nursing home, he discovered that she was no longer there.
Henry Griffith was reared by his single mother, Edith, after his father died when he was just four years old. Henry came into Edith’s life late, and she loved him more than anything else, doing everything she could to make sure he didn’t miss out on anything. Likewise, Henry was always there for Edith in any way he could, and he adored her as much as she adored him. But things began to fall apart between them when Henry met his love, Courtney Jackson, during his university days.
In the first month of their dating, Courtney convinced Henry to move in with her, so they bought a little condo with their savings from part-time jobs. Then, a few years down the line, when they got married, Courtney began to covertly encourage Henry to move in with Edith so they could save money to purchase a larger house later. Henry was a bit hesitant, but Courtney persuaded him that it would also be in Edith’s best interests, since they would be able to care for Edith better if they lived with her. Henry fell for that, and they moved in with Edith shortly after.
Three years later, when they welcomed a baby boy, whom they named Liam, Courtney pushed all household chores onto Edith, claiming she was a new mother and didn’t have enough time for housework. She also used Edith as a babysitter when Henry wasn’t home and she went out with her friends. Edith didn’t like how Courtney treated her and complained to Henry about it one day, but Courtney made everything about herself, and Edith had to apologize.
Years later, when Liam grew up and there was no need to babysit him, Courtney decided there was no need for Edith in the house. As a result, she began inciting Henry against Edith, often exaggerating how Edith was handicapped and never helped her with household chores, or how she smelled bad and couldn’t do anything on her own due to being confined to a wheelchair. She hinted that Edith was better off in a nursing home. At first, Henry was opposed to the idea; he would never leave his mother in a facility such as a nursing home. Quarrels erupted between him and Courtney as a result, and while Edith was disappointed to learn she was the root of their dispute, she was relieved Henry adored her so much to let her go.
But a year later, when Courtney became pregnant for the second time, she finally got her chance to kick Edith out of the house. Courtney was heavily pregnant when it all happened, and she fell ill one day. It was her fault that she didn’t take care of herself, and she blamed everything on Edith.
“Henry,” she said, “I know you love your mother, but the worst could have happened today. It’s good that the doctor gave me some medications; I’ll be well. But your mother, she is dangerous to our baby.”
“It was just an allergy, Courtney. You must have taken something by mistake.”
“No, Henry,” Courtney insisted. “I’m sure it was because your mom… well, she made lunch today, and after that, I fell sick.”
“What? Are you serious? But Mom doesn’t cook these days. How did she…”
“That’s what I’m trying to say. Maybe she did it by mistake, but we need to send her to a nursing home before it’s too late, Henry. She’s becoming a threat. Today she made lunch, and I felt sick after eating it. The next time, her actions may harm our children. We need to think about this seriously.”
Henry couldn’t bring himself to send Edith to a nursing home, but when he considered the safety of his children, his parental instincts took over. He made the decision to send his mother to a nursing home.
“Mom,” he told Edith over dinner that night, “I was thinking that because you’re in a wheelchair and I’m not always there to care for you, a nursing home would be much better for you. There’d be people to look after you there, and yes, I guess that would be great.”
“A nursing home?” Edith whispered, teary-eyed. “But Henry, I’m fine here. I don’t need extra care. I can manage on my own.”
“No, Mom,” Henry interrupted. “You don’t get it. I have to send you. We have no other choice. That’s best for me, Courtney, and everyone else. Pack your bags by tomorrow morning. I’ll drop you off before I go to work.”
Edith was frozen stiff, unable to believe Henry was sending her to a nursing facility. She turned to Courtney, who was smiling brightly. Edith knew she was the cause of Courtney and Henry’s squabbles, but she never anticipated Courtney would mislead Henry in such a way that she’d be kicked out one day. But at this point, even she was tired of proving her innocence every time, so she gave up and agreed to go to the nursing home.
“Can I ask you a favor before I leave, Henry?” she asked, trembling, staring at her hands on her lap.
“Yeah?”
“Will you visit me when I’m there? Not very often, but at least on weekends?”
“Sure, Mom,” he said. “No doubts about that.”
“Well then, thank you,” she muttered as she walked away to her room.
Unfortunately, Henry never visited her. Months passed, and his second child arrived. He became preoccupied with parenting and forgot about his elderly mother until three years later when he decided to pay her a visit and discovered she was no longer living at the nursing home. Henry’s life had taken a turn for the worse in these three years. He caught Courtney cheating on him with his best friend, and when he confronted her, she blatantly acknowledged it. If that wasn’t enough, she transferred all of his assets to her name and evicted him from his house. But that wasn’t all. Courtney incited Liam against Henry to the point where he hated him. Once, Liam told him he didn’t want him around.
At that point, Henry remembered Edith and how he kicked her out. Having realized his dreadful mistake, Henry wanted to apologize to her and bring her back. However, when he arrived at the nursing home, he did not find her there. He inquired about her at the reception desk, and it was then that he discovered something shocking.
“She left here two years ago,” the receptionist remarked after looking over a file.
“What? But where has she gone? I’m her only living relative,” Henry complained, desperate for answers.
The receptionist sighed and placed a piece of paper on the table. “Go to this address,” she instructed. “She left after marrying our old janitor, David. Why wouldn’t she? After all, she frequently complained that her son didn’t care about her at all. David treated her as if she were a member of his family. They were madly in love. They deserved to be with each other.”
Henry couldn’t believe his ears. His mother was completely alone and depressed because of him. He wanted to make amends with her, so he went to the address on the note. A few hours later, he came to a halt in front of a rundown cottage near a tiny farm. He sighed and knocked, and Edith answered. She was still in a wheelchair, but she looked way happier and healthier than before.
“Henry! Oh my boy, how did you…”
Henry felt so embarrassed that he couldn’t look her in the eyes. He bowed his head in shame. “I’m sorry, Mom,” he murmured, wiping away his tears. “I apologize for all I’ve done up to this point. I pushed you away to a nursing home, and now… now that I’ve lost my children to Courtney after she divorced me and kicked me out, I understand how you must have felt. I only get to see my children on occasion, Mom, and I know how much it hurts. Please forgive me if possible.”
“Jesus,” gasped Edith. “Henry, when did all of this happen?”
“It’s been three years, Mom. But I don’t blame anyone. I deserve this.”
“No, Henry, you don’t,” she exclaimed, leaving Henry stunned. “Two wrongs don’t make a right. Revenge is senseless. I forgave you long ago. What you did was wrong, but recognizing and wanting to make amends is what truly matters. So stop blaming yourself.”
“Are you not angry with me?” Henry asked, tears welling up. “Thank you, Mom. I’m relieved you’re happy with David. I found out at the nursing home. I’m so happy for you. I love you, Henry. I’m thrilled to have you back. David can’t wait to meet you.”
Later, Henry met David and expressed his gratitude for caring for his mother. He even bought a house nearby to stay close to them. A month later, Henry arranged a surprise destination wedding for David and Edith in Miami using his savings. The elderly couple tied the knot in a beautiful ceremony where Henry met Clara, who embraced them all, and they became a happy blended family.
