Kevin looks in his grandmother’s old sofa and finds a box hidden inside that has letters and court papers in it. The young boy has to make a life-changing choice when the contents show a terrible truth about his family.
Kevin said in a low voice, “I’m going to miss Granny,” as he touched the dark stain on Granny’s couch. He once spilled juice on some old furniture, but Granny was more worried about getting him another drink than about the damage he’d done.
“Why mourn for an old trout who left you this junk?” Kevin woke up when his dad shook his head and kicked the couch.
“Those people aren’t too bad, and they let me come here for a few days because of Granny’s funeral. I wish I didn’t need to go back…I want to live with you,” Kevin hung his head.
“Cheer up, kiddo!” Dad laughed a little and brushed Kevin’s hair. “We’ll figure it out!”
Kevin smiled and moved toward Dad to give him a hug, but Dad had already turned away. When Dad got home, he got a drink from the fridge and sat down in his armchair to watch TV.
Kevin knew that his dad wasn’t nice like his mom, but it still hurt. Kevin had already lost his mom six months ago, and now he lost his grandmother. It was too much for him to handle.
He yelled, “There’s something inside!” but Dad was too interested in what he was watching to hear him.
Kevin turned away from Dad and lifted the couch seat cushion. There was a torn piece of fabric sewn into place in a way that didn’t look right. He quickly went to the kitchen to get some scissors and cut the stitches.
A box was inside, and two big words were written on it: “For Kevin.”
Kevin smiled when he saw that it was Granny’s writing. He found a sealed envelope and folded pages of court papers inside the box when he opened it. After that, he saw a letter that Granny had written.
“Dearest Kevin,” it began. “I apologize for pressuring you while you’re so young, honey, but your future depends on you making a smart choice. Your father only returned for his inheritance.”
Not long ago…
“Linda? What are you doing here?” He asked in a rude tone as he opened the door to his apartment.
“I want to see Kevin. “Where is he?” She asked as she tried not to choke on the smell of his old booze.
“Uh, I don’t know.” “What day is it now?”
“Tuesday!” When she got into the apartment, she was shocked to see dirty clothes, a plastic container, and empty glass bottles all over the floor.
“Mac and cheese is great. Carbs and milk. “Good for growing and such,” he said with a shrug.
“Where are Kevin’s toys?” They’re not where I can see them.
“Well, kids these days…They are more interested in electronics, you know.”
“Don’t you dare lie to me!” Linda exploded. “I’ve been sending money to you to make sure my grandson doesn’t miss out on anything, Jerry. He needs fruits and vegetables and unprocessed meat, not your microwaved junk! And I bet he’s no longer going to the soccer club I’m paying for ’cause you’re too lazy to take him there!”
I saw Jerry roll his eyes. “Okay, Linda, you can’t tell me what to do just because you’re helping us out! “I know how to teach my son!”
“Granny?”
Kevin ran over to Linda as soon as she turned around and gave her a big hug. She said, “Oh boy, you’re home late!”
Kevin looked at his dad and said, “Dad, you said you’d pick me up yesterday, but you never came.”
“I meant the next day. Quickly, finish your work now.”
Linda’s rage knew no bounds as Kevin left. “I know what’s going on here, Jerry,” She looked him in the eye. “Pull yourself together or be ready to face the consequences. I won’t sit idly by while you fall apart or let you drag my grandson down with you,” she warned him as she left.
Weeks went by. Nurse Denise came walking by while Linda was sitting in the lobby of the main building of her care home. She called for Jane to come in.
The woman came up to Linda and asked, “Do you need help?”
“Darling, I need a big favor,” Linda said, and Denise sat down next to her.
“I went to Social Services to get my son-in-law’s parental rights taken away.” He hasn’t been taking care of my grandson Denise. He only wants the money I and the state will give him. You’ve longed to adopt for a long time. “Please adopt my grandson,” Linda asked, putting her hand on Denise’s.
Denise finally got herself together to talk after hearing Linda out. “La Linda, oh my god. I’m not sure…”I’m so excited and nervous,” Denise gasped, “but I can’t wait to have Kevin join our family. I know my husband will feel the same way.”
“You don’t know,” Denise said through tears, “you’ve given me the best gift of all: a child to love.” “Thank you should come from me.”
“Kevin, this is your room!” Are you okay with it?”
While Linda tried to figure out how Kevin would react, Kevin looked around the room that Denise and her husband, Miguel, had set up for him.
The boy said, “It’s nice.”
“Well, we can always change the decor if you don’t like it,” Miguel told his wife as they looked stressed.
“Let Kevin have some time to live in the room before making big decisions,” Linda told him. After that, she looked at Kevin. She said in a whisper, “I know it’s weird, dear, but give them a chance.”
Kevin turned around and ran out the front door. When Linda tried to talk to him, he didn’t say a word.
Linda was very upset about how Kevin had acted that night as she made her bed. She knew Miguel and Denise would be much better parents than Jerry, though.
Lina’s phone rang out of the blue, waking her up.
“Is everything OK, Denise?” Linda asked as she picked up the phone.
“No, Linda,” Denise said through the phone. “Kevin isn’t here! I went to check on him and ask if he wanted a cookie. I looked everywhere! I believe he has escaped!”
“Good Lord,” Linda screamed. “Dear, I think I know where he went. Do not worry. I’ll get him back for you.
Cindy showed up at Jerry’s door with Mrs. Jamerson, Kevin’s caseworker. Kevin was in the room, just like Linda thought he would be.
“Does it bug you to see all your clever plans come to nothing?” With his back to the kitchen counter, Jerry smiled as Mrs. Jamerson took Kevin away to talk to the boy. “No matter what you do, Linda, Kevin will keep running back home to his dad, where he belongs!”
There was only greed in Jerry’s eyes, not the sadness of a man trying to deal with the death of his wife or the love of a loving father. Then she saw his brand-name clothes, the big, new TV, and something under the TV that looked like a brand-new game system. She knew Jerry only wanted money. He didn’t care about Kevin at all.
Jerry scoffed. “C’mon, you can do better, Linda. Try $300,000, and we’ll see.”
“But I don’t have that kind of money!”
“Guess you don’t value your grandson as much as you pretend to,” he said. He sank into his couch and said, “I’ll see you next time he comes home running.”
Kevin came out of the bedroom with Mrs. Jameson following behind. Jerry gave him a shoulder pat and didn’t even look away from the TV when he said goodbye with tears in his eyes.
“…so I had to do this, honey,” the letter went on, “to find out who your dad really is.” The papers in this box say that Jerry can have all of my money as long as he doesn’t come near you. They are fake, but Jerry doesn’t know it.
“Send them to him.” If he breaks them, you know he cares more about you, but if he hires a lawyer, you know you’re safe and loved with Denise and Miguel.
Kevin put Granny’s letter back in the box and got the court papers. As he watched his dad watch TV, fear made his heart beat fast. Even though he didn’t want to believe it, he had doubts.
“Hi, Dad!” Kevin walked across the room and held up the papers. “These were in Granny’s couch,” I said. “These are for you.”
A grumpy Dad grumbled something and grabbed Kevin’s papers. As he read the contract, the man began to smile.
“Kevin, I’m leaving.” Kevin’s fears came true when Dad jumped up from his chair and walked to the door. At first, he thought it might have been a mistake that Dad left after reading those papers.
Kevin followed him for a few blocks until Dad went into a building that looked very fancy. It was the office of a lawyer.
Kevin wiped his tears away with anger as he walked back to his flat. Dad loved money more than he loved him, Granny said.
Following an hour, Kevin knocked on Denise and Miguel’s door and rang the bell.
“What about Kevin?” When Denise opened the door, she frowned with worry. “Is everything okay?” We didn’t think you’d come back for two more days.
Kevin took a sniff. “My dad isn’t…”I just… “
“Hey,” Denise said as she knelt down and put her hands on his shoulder. “That’s fine. “I know things have been hard for you.”
Kevin looked up at Denise and smiled through tears. Since Mom died, he hadn’t felt this loved. He felt grateful that Granny had asked such kind people to take care of him.