I’d always prided myself on being the cool grandmother — the one who never slowed down, who barely recognized words like “rest” or “day off.”
I dreamed of making it to one hundred without ever losing my spark. After all, I still had countless ideas I wanted to share with the world.
You might have seen me doing puppy yoga among college students or skating through the park with guys half my age.
I’d even picked up Japanese just to understand the text on my grandson’s T-shirt.
My younger friends adored me.
But above all else, my pride and joy was my grandson Jason.
However jam-packed my schedule looked, I carved out time for him without fail. Kelly, my daughter-in-law, often handed him over with a breezy,
“Clementina, can you watch Jason for a few hours? I have… errands.”
These “errands” were daily, and I never turned her down. Jason greeted me like a holiday come to life.
“Grandma!”
That word alone fueled my soul.
Kelly took advantage of it, too.
“Clementina, you’ll put Jason to bed tonight, right? I’m going out.”
“That soup you made last time — Jason refuses anything else now.”
“I have a last-minute manicure tomorrow. Could you pick Jason up early?”
Sometimes I paused to wonder: did my son Jack truly see all I did? He was always busy at work, returning to a clean house and a happy child, convinced he had the perfect wife.
But Kelly and I both knew who held things together.
When I began taking Jason during school breaks, Jack started sending me more money, double, in fact.
“Mom, you do so much. I want you to have what you need.”
“Oh, sweetheart, don’t try to buy my love,” I’d fuss, though I didn’t mind the help.
Kelly certainly noticed.
“Jack, five hundred dollars? For ice cream and the park? Meanwhile, I’m still waiting on a new hair straightener!”
“Kelly, we’ve discussed this.”
I saw how she counted every cent while I spent nothing on myself.
Sometimes, she’d stare at me with a strange smile that never reached her eyes. I once overheard her on the phone:
“If he keeps giving her that much, I’ll never get the—”
I wasn’t supposed to hear it. But I kept smiling anyway.
So at one of their little budget arguments, I tried to cheer them up with good news.
“Kids, my 80th birthday is soon! I’m throwing a huge park picnic!”
Kelly rolled her eyes.
“A picnic? At eighty? You could’ve booked a restaurant.”
Jack ignored her.
“Mom, we’ll be there!”
As I organized my party, I had no idea it would spiral into a family crisis.
The day was perfect: balloons floated, grilled veggies sizzled, and laughter rang out. Jason dashed over, grinning widely.
“Grandma! I got you a present!”
I spotted Jack holding a huge box, trying to hide it.
“Open it!”
Inside was a bright pink scooter with glittery handles.
“So we can ride together!” Jason exclaimed.
I nearly cried.
“Best gift ever,” I told him.
“Try it now!”
“Let’s take a quick ride!”
After picking up a strawberry swirl from the ice cream cart, I turned around — Jason was gone.
“Jason?”
I spun around frantically. Nothing.
“Jason!”
Clutching the cone, I leapt onto the scooter and shot off down the path.
“Excuse me! Coming through! Lost boy on the loose!”
My knees wobbled, but I pushed forward until I burst back to the picnic, gasping.
“Jason’s missing!”
Jack dropped the tongs.
“What?”
“I turned away for a second — he was just gone!”
Kelly glared at Jack.
“See? She can’t keep up anymore!”
I ignored her and searched desperately until Jason giggled from under a blanket.
“Grandma! You didn’t find me!”
I knelt, breathless.
“Jason, that was dangerous!”
His lip trembled, and everyone fell silent. Jack moved closer.
“Mom, it’s alright. He’s safe.”
Kelly approached with that syrupy tone.
“You need rest. You’ve done too much.”
“I’m not tired! I’m just getting started!”
Jack sighed.
“Mom, while we’re on our honeymoon, you can take a vacation, too.”
“Oh! Then Jason stays with me for the summer!”
Jason cheered.
But Kelly shot him down.
“No, Jason will stay with the nanny.”
“What?”
“She’s certified. Young. Energetic.”
It felt like getting smacked with my own birthday cake.
“But… why?”
“Let’s be honest. You’re eighty. It’s too much.”
Jack tried to speak, but Jason blurted out,
“Mom told me to hide from Grandma!”
Kelly gasped.
“That was our secret!”
My heart froze. She’d staged the whole thing.
I walked over to the scooter and rolled away. I wasn’t about to cry. I was going to plan.
Back home, I opened Kelly’s Instagram. A selfie showed her with a blonde tagged @nanny.nina.
I messaged Nina that night:
“Hi, I’m Jason’s grandma. Could we meet?”
She replied quickly,
“Yes, ma’am!”
At a café the next day, I made my offer.
“Honey, I’d like to pay you a month’s wages to cancel. No strings attached.”
“Really?”
“Really. Jason would rather be with Grandma.”
“Honestly? Thank you. I was worried about working for that woman anyway.”
Problem solved.
Before Jack and Kelly’s flight, Kelly paced.
“Nanny canceled!”
I sipped tea.
“Oh, that’s too bad.”
Kelly turned purple.
“You planned this!”
Jack shrugged.
“Guess Jason stays with Mom.”
Jason jumped into my arms.
Three weeks later, we’d baked pies, built dinosaur exhibits, and mastered scooter tricks. Jack messaged,
“Mom… you’re really doing it alone?”
“Always have.”
When they returned, Kelly barely managed a “Thanks.”
Jack looked at me with deep gratitude.
Then Jason yelled from the porch,
“Grandma! Ice cream time!”
And that, for me, was the real reward.
