Tomorrow is my mother-in-laws birthday. My baby is four and a half months old. At first, she invited
A Grandson’s Request: An English Family Story
“Gran, I’ve got a big favour to ask—I really need some money.”
A lot of money.
It was evening when Paul came to see her, and it was clear he was nervous.
Normally, he’d pop round to see Mrs. Lily Thompson twice a week. If she needed anything from the shops or wanted help with the bins, he was always there. He’d fixed her old sofa once, too—good as new. He was always so calm and reliable. But now, he was on edge.
Lily Thompson always worried—you never know what’s going on these days!
“Paul, may I ask what you need the money for? And how much is ‘a lot’?” Lily tensed inwardly.
Paul was her eldest grandson. A good and kind lad. He’d finished school last year, working now and studying part-time. His parents had never mentioned anything worrying about him. So why did he need so much money?
“I can’t say right now, Gran, but I promise I’ll pay you back—in instalments, if that’s alright,” Paul hesitated.
“You know I only have my pension to get by… How much do you need?”
“Two thousand pounds.”
“Why not ask your parents?” Lily asked, already knowing what Paul would say. Her son-in-law was strict and believed Paul should handle his own affairs for his age, and not get involved in things he shouldn’t.
“They won’t help.”
Was he in some kind of trouble? Would things get worse if she lent him the money? But if she refused, would Paul suffer more? Lily looked at him anxiously.
“Gran, it’s nothing bad, honestly,” Paul picked up on her worry. “I promise to pay you back in three months. Don’t you trust me?”
Maybe she should give him the money. Even if he couldn’t pay it back. There had to be someone he could rely on in the world. She did have emergency savings. Perhaps this *was* the emergency. Paul had come to her. No need to think about her funeral just yet—if it came to that, they’d take care of it. The living mattered most. She needed to trust her family.
They say if you lend money, you should be prepared not to see it again. Young people are such a mystery these days. But Paul had never let her down.
“Alright, I’ll lend you the money for three months as you asked. But would it be better for your parents to know?”
“Gran, you know how much I love you. I always keep my promises. But if you can’t, I’ll try for a loan from the bank—I do have a job.”
The next morning, Lily went to the bank, withdrew the money, and handed it to Paul.
He beamed, kissed her, and said, “Thank you, Gran. You’re the best. I’ll pay you back—I promise.” And with that, he was off.
Lily made herself a cup of tea and reflected. How many times in her life had she been desperate for money and found someone to help? Now everyone was out for themselves. Tough times, indeed.
A week later, Paul came by in high spirits.
“Gran, here’s the first payment—I got some money upfront. Could I bring someone with me when I visit tomorrow?”
“Of course, pop in. I’ll bake your favourite poppy seed cake,” Lily smiled. Maybe she’d finally get to the bottom of this. She wanted to be sure Paul was alright.
The next evening, Paul arrived with a slim, shy girl.
“Gran, this is Ellie—my girlfriend. Ellie, this is my wonderful Gran, Mrs. Lily Thompson.”
Ellie smiled sweetly. “Hello, Mrs. Thompson. Thank you ever so much!”
“Come in, dear, it’s lovely to meet you,” Lily breathed a sigh of relief—she liked her straight away.
They all sat down for tea and cake.
“Gran,” Paul began, “I couldn’t say before. Ellie was terribly worried—her mum had a sudden health crisis, and they had no one to help. Ellie’s quite superstitious and made me promise not to say anything. But it’s okay now—her mum had the operation and the prognosis is good,” he said, squeezing Ellie’s hand.
“Thank you so much. You’re so kind. I’m ever so grateful,” Ellie said, dabbing at her eyes.
“There now, it’s all over, Ellie,” Paul stood up. “Gran, we’d best be off—getting late.”
“Goodnight, dears—look after one another,” Lily called, giving them her blessing as they left.
Her grandson was growing up—a good lad. She’d been right to trust him. It wasn’t just about the money. It brought them closer.
Two months later, Paul repaid every penny and told her,
“You won’t believe it, Gran—the doctor said we’d made it just in time. If you hadn’t helped, things could have turned out badly. Thank you, Gran. I didn’t know what to do for Ellie, and now I know—there’ll always be someone to help in tough moments. I’d do anything for you. You’re simply the best!”
Lily mussed his hair like she had when he was a boy. “Off you go, and bring Ellie to visit—I’ll be delighted.”
“Of course,” Paul hugged her.
As Lily closed the door behind them, she recalled something her own gran used to say:
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