“Hey, Natalie, can you come over? I’m not feeling well,” Mum said, her voice weak.
“Again? Honestly! Ill be right there,” Natalie replied, frustrated.
Half an hour later, she was at her mums house.
“My blood pressures through the roof, and I cant get it down. My heads pounding”
“Should we call an ambulance?”
“No, I just need to rest. But little Charlies running wildjumping on the sofa, getting into everything. Hes too young to understand.”
Natalie took her grandson to another room, fuming.
*Unbelievable. They swan off again, leaving their kid with a poorly great-grandma. Selfish, the lot of them.*
An hour later, her son Daniel and his wife Emily stumbled in, smelling of booze.
“Daniel, Gran was ill, and you didnt even pick up the phone! Why dump Charlie on her *again*?”
“Mum, relax! Shes finejust being dramatic. Tough as old boots, she is!”
“Dont you dare! Youve got no shame, either of you. Mooching off her, making her babysit while youre out gallivanting!”
“Well, if youd help us buy a flat, we wouldnt *have* to live here!”
“Or maybe *get jobs*? Charlies old enough for nurserythey take them from two! Start pulling your weight!”
“We *are* working! Emily and I run a vlog. Once it takes off, well be rolling in it. Just gotta wait for the ad deals to kick in.”
“Oh, rubbish! Every other persons a content creator these days. We cant afford a flat for youyou knew that before you started a family!”
“Not my fault Emily got pregnant so quick! Had to marry her, didnt I?”
“Excuse *me*?” Emily slurred, reeking of wine. “Like I did it alone?”
“Not now! I *told* you to be careful”
“Enough! I wont listen to this drunk nonsense. And *respect* your gran!” Natalie stormed off, checking on Mumasleep now, thank goodness.
—
Everything went downhill after Emilys surprise pregnancy. A rushed registry-office wedding, then theyd guilt-tripped Gran into letting them move in.
“Gran, youve got two bedroomswell help out! Emilyll cook, clean”
How could she say no to her beloved grandson?
Natalie only found out *after* theyd moved in.
“Love, dont fuss. Theyll move out soon,” Gran said.
“Youre too soft. Daniel needs to grow upliving off child benefit and Emilys parents handouts!”
Hed dropped out of uni, unfit for the army (thanks to his asthma), and now he was “finding himself” through *vlogging*.
Natalie didnt mind babysittinguntil they started dumping Charlie on her *daily*.
“Youre his *parents*! Spend time with him instead of filming daft videos!”
So they left him with Gran instead.
—
“Nat, your mums gone viralyou know that, right?” a colleague asked.
“What? She doesnt even *use* the internet!”
“Daniel films her answering silly questions, then mocks her online. Comments are *horrified*its exploitation!”
Natalie saw red. *This* was the last straw.
She called Daniel. “Take those videos *down*! How *dare* you humiliate her!”
“Mum, its *content*! Were *monetising* her!”
“Over my dead body! Delete them, or youre *out*!”
“Not happening. Our engagements skyrocketed!” *Click.*
That evening, her husband marched over.
Daniel just smirked. “Grans fine with it. Besides, this flatll be *mine* when shes gonewhy rent?”
Natalie gasped. “*Im* her daughter! After this, Ill *fight* you for it!”
But Gran, ever soft-hearted, intervened. “Let them stay, love. The videos are harmless.”
—
Two weeks later, Gran collapsed. The paramedics couldnt save her.
“Daniel she signed the flat over to me. Her choice,” he mumbled at the funeral.
Natalie said nothing. *Her will. Whats done is done.*
But days later, overhearing Emilys phone call chilled her to the bone:
“Ugh, *finally*! That old bat was *always* nagging. And guess what? I dragged my feet calling 999 when she begged for her pills. *Oops.*”
Natalie burst in. “You *killed* her!”
Emily paled. “Youyou misheard!”
“Daniel! She *murdered* Gran! And Charlies *not yours*its some Vadims!”
Stunned, Daniel crumpled. Emily fled with the boy.
No police reportno proof. But the guilt would haunt her.
—
Daniel deleted his vlog, got a proper job, even met a *decent* girl.
Natalie watched him grow upfinally.
*Better late than never.*
