Chapter 10: The Last Night of Grandma Rose
"Aaliyah, don't believe anything Eleanor tells you. She's the reason your grandmother died.""
My mother's voice came through the phone, sharp and desperate.
I stared at Eleanor.
She hadn't moved.
"What do you mean?"" I asked.
Gloria gave a bitter laugh.
"Ask her what happened that night. Ask her why she waited until almost midnight to call an ambulance.""
I turned toward Eleanor.
"Is that true?""
Eleanor lowered her eyes.
"Your mother is leaving out something important.""
Gloria shouted through the phone.
"She's lying! She was supposed to protect Rose, and instead she let her die!""
"Mom, stop!"" I said.
"Come home, Aaliyah. Bring those documents. We can settle this privately.""
I looked at the ownership certificate lying on the table.
"You mean you want me to hand you the evidence?""
"I mean you're my daughter!""
"Then tell me why you stole Grandma's money.""
Silence.
Then Gloria whispered, "You don't know what your grandmother was like.""
I ended the call.
My hands were shaking.
Eleanor pulled out a chair.
"Please sit down.""
"I want the truth.""
"I know.""
"No more business documents. No more secret letters. I want to know what happened that night.""
Eleanor took a long breath.
"Your grandmother called me at 11:47 p.m. She was frightened. She said Daniel had returned with papers she had refused to sign.""
"Was Mom with him?""
"Yes.""
"Did they argue?""
"Your grandmother told me Gloria was demanding the original ownership certificate. Rose refused. Then I heard something fall.""
Eleanor stopped.
"What happened next?""
"Rose told me she wasn't feeling well. She said her chest hurt, and she was having trouble breathing.""
I pressed my hand against my mouth.
"Why didn't you call an ambulance immediately?""
"I did. I was driving toward her house when I called emergency services. The operator instructed me to keep Rose on the line.""
"Was she alone?""
"No.""
Eleanor looked toward Tessa, who had been standing silently beside the doorway.
"She wasn't alone.""
I followed her gaze.
Tessa looked down.
My heart began racing.
"What does that mean?""
Eleanor answered quietly.
"Tessa was there.""
I turned toward my sister.
"You were at Grandma's house that night?""
Tessa nodded, tears forming in her eyes.
"I was fourteen.""
"Why didn't you tell me?""
"Because Mom made me promise.""
I stepped closer.
"What did you see?""
Tessa twisted her fingers together.
"I was upstairs when Daniel arrived. I heard Grandma shouting that she wasn't signing anything. Then Mom told him to stop arguing because the neighbors might hear.""
"Did you see Grandma?""
"Yes.""
Her voice broke.
"She was sitting at the kitchen table. She looked pale. Daniel had papers spread out in front of her.""
Eleanor leaned forward.
"What happened after that?""
Tessa began crying.
"Grandma stood up. She told Mom she was going to give the company to Aaliyah. Mom got angry.""
My stomach tightened.
"What did she say?""
Tessa wiped her face.
"She said, 'After everything I've done for you, you're still choosing that girl.''"
I felt something inside me crack.
Tessa continued.
"Then Grandma said something about Mom stealing money from the company. Daniel tried to take a folder, but Grandma grabbed it.""
"What happened next?""
"I heard a crash.""
Tessa covered her mouth.
"When I came downstairs, Grandma was on the floor.""
The room went silent.
I couldn't breathe.
"Did Mom help her?""
Tessa hesitated.
"She was standing near the table. Daniel was holding the folder. Mom told me to go upstairs.""
"And you did?""
"I was scared!""
I lowered my voice.
"Did anyone call an ambulance?""
"Eleanor called. She arrived a few minutes later.""
Eleanor nodded.
"When I got there, Gloria was in the kitchen. Daniel had already left. Rose was conscious, but barely.""
"Where was Tessa?""
"Upstairs. Gloria had told her to stay out of sight.""
My sister began sobbing.
"I thought Grandma was going to be okay.""
Eleanor's eyes glistened.
"I stayed with Rose until the paramedics arrived. She was taken to the hospital. I followed her there.""
I looked at her.
"Did she die that night?""
"No. She survived the night. She passed away the following afternoon.""
I gripped the back of a chair.
"Then why did Mom blame you?""
"Because Gloria told everyone I had arrived too late. She said Rose had been alone for nearly an hour.""
"That's not true.""
"No. The emergency call logs prove otherwise.""
Eleanor opened her handbag and removed a folded sheet.
It was a hospital report.
My grandmother's name was printed at the top.
Underneath were notes about her condition, the time of admission, and the medical team's attempts to stabilize her.
I couldn't read beyond the first paragraph.
"Why didn't you tell us?""
Eleanor looked exhausted.
"Your mother insisted that the family wanted privacy. She also threatened to make a public accusation that I had interfered with Rose's medical care.""
"And you believed her?""
"No. But I had another reason for staying quiet.""
She reached for the photograph from the hospital.
"Your grandmother asked me to protect Tessa.""
I looked at my sister.
Eleanor continued.
"Rose knew Tessa had witnessed something that night. She didn't want her forced into the middle of a legal battle while she was still a child.""
Tessa buried her face in her hands.
I didn't know whether to hug her or scream.
Then she reached into her handbag.
"I've kept something.""
She placed a small digital recorder on the table.
It was old, scratched, and covered in dust.
"Grandma gave it to me before she was taken to the hospital," Tessa whispered.
"She told me to hide it.""
I stared at the recorder.
"Why didn't you give it to Eleanor?""
"Mom searched my room the next morning. I hid it inside an old jewelry box. Then she told me Grandma had died because I hadn't called for help quickly enough.""
My chest tightened.
"She told you that?""
Tessa nodded.
"I believed her.""
Eleanor carefully picked up the recorder.
"Does it still work?""
"I don't know.""
She pressed the power button.
A red light flickered.
Then a woman's weak but unmistakable voice filled the room.
Grandma Rose.
"If anyone is listening to this, it means Gloria has gone too far...""
The recording crackled.
Then Grandma said something that made Eleanor drop the recorder onto the table.
"Daniel isn't the only person who helped steal my company. My own daughter has been protecting someone far more dangerous...""
The recording stopped.
And beneath the final burst of static came a man's voice.
A voice I recognized.
Because I'd heard it only hours earlier.
May you like
It belonged to the man who had offered me the $400,000 bakery development contract.
Michael Harris.
