Georgina Callahan moved to a small apartment in her old age and started renting her bigger house to a kind family who always ensured she was alright. But as her health dwindled, her daughter, Anna, pressured her to make a will to avoid any problems with her brother, Anton, later. Georgina did so, but the outcome was a huge surprise for them.
“Everything is going to be alright, Mrs. Callahan,” Fiona Ferris told her while leaving the hospital. Georgina had suffered an odd heart episode, which the doctors claimed was not a heart attack but was still dangerous. She lived in Orlando, Florida, while her children were in New York and Philadelphia, so the only person she could call in an emergency was her tenant, Fiona.
Fiona had rented her big house when Georgina decided to get a smaller place in her old age. It was too much to handle alone, so getting tenants was the best solution.
More than a tenant, Fiona became a good friend to Georgina. She was concerned for the older woman and often checked on her. She had her own family to care for, but she kept an eye on the older lady, which Georgina always thought was kind of her.
Fiona became even more important to Georgina when her children, Anna and Anton, got busier and couldn’t bother to even call her every once in a while. So when she had her heart episode, her first thought was to call Fiona, who dropped everything she was doing and came with her to the hospital.
The silence in the room was intense, like the few minutes before a huge bomb goes off. Fiona’s mouth hung open in surprise, and she looked at Georgina’s children, waiting for their response.
Georgina had to stay confined for a couple of days, and Fiona came to visit every day, assuring her that everything would be alright. Soon, Georgina was discharged with prescribed medications. Fiona drove her to the pharmacy to buy them before taking her home that day.
“Thank you, darling. I have no clue what I would’ve done without your help,” Georgina told Fiona, who accompanied her to the bedroom. Despite resting at the hospital, the older woman was still so tired.
“Don’t you worry, Mrs. Callahan. You can call me anytime you want. For now, just worry about yourself and get better. You’re too young to leave this world,” the younger woman joked to lighten the mood, and Georgina smiled, genuinely appreciating her gesture.
A few days later, Anna surprised Georgina with a random visit. “Honey, weren’t you busy?” Georgina asked.
“Mom, I felt so bad that I couldn’t be there for you that I had to ask for a few days off. It’s fine. I have to leave in two days, but I wanted to see that you’re alright,” Anna told her and asked about everything that happened at the hospital.
One evening, they were both in the kitchen, and Anna’s eyes were tearful after cutting onions for dinner. Georgina was stirring a pot of sauce, and the tarty smell of tomatoes with oregano filled the air. The ambiance was perfect for a deep conversation.
“Mom, actually, I have something to say to you… I think it’s time to make yourself a will,” she began, wiping her hand on a dish towel.
Georgina turned from the stove and frowned at her daughter. “A will?”
“Yeah. When people don’t make a will, it becomes a huge hassle for the children. I don’t want to quarrel with my brother over our inheritance. I think you just have to decide what we each get and have a lawyer take care of the rest,” she continued, putting the dish towel down and leaning on the counter. “What do you think?”
“Well, that’s a good idea, I guess,” Georgina muttered and saw Anna’s smile, which worried her for an unexplainable reason.
The rest of the evening progressed happily, though Anna spent most of her time on the phone, either texting or having conversations with her boyfriend. Georgina was disappointed that her daughter wasn’t spending more time with her after a long time of not seeing each other. But Anna didn’t seem to care now.
When her daughter left for New York, Georgina started thinking about her words. Of course, a will is more convenient for the future, to make things more organized, but the way Anna asked her about it still ruffled her feathers.
When Anna arrived in New York, she called to sneakily remind Georgina about their conversation. “Remember to call a lawyer and draft a will, okay?” she urged.
“Of course, I already called someone,” Georgina lied, but she intended to do so. She would be making a will, and hopefully, everyone would get what they deserved.
****
Despite feeling well with her new medications, Georgina Callahan died the next time she was rushed to the hospital. Once again, Fiona was the only one there, and she had to call Georgina’s children with the terrible news.
Anna and Anton came to Orlando for the funeral, which they had tasked Fiona with arranging. The tenant was only too willing to help, although it wasn’t her obligation.
When Georgina’s lawyer called them for the will reading, her children were both surprised when Fiona came too. Mr. Perkins informed them that Fiona was in the will, and they proceeded with the reading.
From a letter written by Georgina, the attorney read:
“To my children, I give all my old photo albums to remind you of your childhood and to remember me by. As for the rest of my estate, I bequeath it all to Fiona Ferris, who was more of a family to me when I needed my family the most. Thank you, Fiona. I hope you and your family enjoy the house where I had so many good memories. You were my only rock and pillar these last few years, and I hope this is enough to repay you for that.”
The silence in the room was intense, like the few minutes before a huge bomb goes off. Fiona’s mouth hung open in surprise, and she looked at Georgina’s children, waiting for their response. But their reaction shocked her too.
Anton began to cry silently and grabbed Anna’s hand tightly. Anna’s mouth kept opening and closing like she wanted to say something, but nothing came out.
It was Mr. Perkins who finally broke the silence. “I see this all the time in my field of work and it’s not my place to say this, but I will break protocol right now. People forget about their loved ones often, especially as they get older. I want you to know that Mrs. Callahan didn’t make this decision lightly, and I hope you two reflect on it, take it to heart, and move on.”
Anton nodded, and Anna seemed flabbergasted at her brother, but in the end, she nodded too. They both gave Fiona an awkward, slight smile as they left the office. The tenant had a few things to sign so the house would be hers.
When she left the office, Fiona looked at the sky and cried for her late friend. She never expected what just happened, and though her family wasn’t struggling, Georgina’s parting gift will be truly appreciated. “Thank you, friend,” she said to the sky.
What can we learn from this story?
- You reap what you sow. Anton and Anna forgot about their mother who lived far away, so she decided they didn’t deserve her big house in Orlando.
- Strangers can become closer to you than your own family. Fiona was there for Georgina through everything despite being her tenant, and the older woman truly appreciated her friend.
This account is inspired by our reader’s story and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only.
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