Seventy-year-old woman abandoned by her children before she died left a package that shocked everyone. Amanda Barnes had been living alone in an ancient house in northern Texas for the past five years. She began working at a young age and had long held positions of control in the city’s enterprises. As a result of her tenacity and perseverance, almost everyone in town recognized Mrs. Barnes and always gave her honors when they saw her.
However, as time passed, age took its toll, and the woman was forced to leave her profession to care for her family at an ancient ranch. She and her husband, Lloyd, had been married for about 40 years and had two lovely kids together. Spencer and Walt were born one after the other, and as soon as they turned 18, they fled their family’s nest. The city lights and entertainment attracted the young guys, and life on the ranch couldn’t provide them with that opportunity. Walton Spencer eventually settled down and even started a family.
Lloyd and Amanda Barnes would only get to see their grandkids a few times, and even then, only in pictures. The sons rarely visited their parents, as though ashamed of their rural roots, and when they did, it was only for a serious reason such as selling the cattle after their father died or leasing property for pasture.
Mrs. Barnes’ life fell into a dreary, depressing rut when her husband died. Despite her rapidly declining health, the elderly woman worked hard to maintain the homestead’s condition. Mrs. Barnes sat in front of the television in the evenings, looking through old photographs and recalling the moments when her family was united. The old woman wiped away bitter tears, unable to comprehend where she and her husband had gone wrong in raising their kids and why they grew up to be so self-centered.
Mrs. Barnes’ only solace came in the form of visits from Viola Ross, a nurse at the local hospital. The young woman treated the lonely old woman as if she were her own mother, paying her daily visits and delivering groceries and medications. They had known each other since Walt was a young man who had tried to woo Viola but failed due to his nasty temper. Mrs. Barnes was concerned at that moment since she had grown fond of Viola. Viola now had a wonderful husband and a beautiful daughter, Rebecca, and she avoided discussing her failed relationship with Walt.
Mrs. Barnes sat in her kitchen, her gaze drawn to the clock on the wall, its hands creeping like drowsy flies. The elderly lady had been anticipating Viola’s arrival and became concerned when the nurse failed to appear on time. The front door finally creaked open, and familiar footsteps were heard.
“Mrs. Barnes, good afternoon. What’s your mood like today? Do you have any aches, any pains? You don’t have a problem with your heart, do you?” Viola inquired, her voice concerned.
“Hello, my sweetheart. Since the morning, my head has been hurting. However, I’m already feeling considerably better as a result of your visit,” Mrs. Barnes replied softly, wiping away a tear.
Viola Ross, as was her custom, removed the items from her bag and placed them in the refrigerator. She then took Mrs. Barnes’ blood pressure and disappointedly shook her head before injecting her. “Mrs. Barnes, you’ll feel much better now. Try to sleep by lying down on the sofa. I’ll shut the door on my own,” Viola wished the elderly lady well and patted her on the shoulder. Amanda Barnes closed her eyes and drifted off into a pleasant dream in which she was surrounded by her sons and grandchildren.
As a result, the elderly lady continued to survive with the help of Viola’s visits and the occasional phone calls from her sons. Mrs. Barnes’ health deteriorated day by day as time went on. The elderly woman struggled to maintain the house in order, which had gotten run down in recent years and was crumbling before her eyes. Her boys only came to see her on rare occasions, and when they did, it was just for a few minutes.
When fall arrived, it began to rain, which may last up to two weeks. That would have been fine, except Mrs. Barnes’ roof began to leak in numerous places at the same time, and the old lady was forced to live in the dampness, putting whatever she could under the leaks. This enraged Viola the most because she knew the poor old lady had two healthy sons who could fix the roof if they so desired. The enraged nurse dialed Walt and then Spencer, but neither of them had any free time to assist their elderly mother, much to her disappointment. One of the sons had a daughter who was rumored to be getting married, while the other was dealing with a business situation. Viola then requested that her husband, Jack, assist Mrs. Barnes with the roof repair.
So, the noble couple used their own resources to repair the old roofing and remedy the leaks. “How grateful I am to my heroes! Because of the humidity, I was starting to have a cough,” Mrs. Barnes replied softly, wiping away a tear. The old woman was saddened, even though she didn’t say it out loud, that her sons had not come to help their own mother.
After a few years, Viola could no longer ignore Mrs. Barnes’ declining health. When she called Walt, she said, “Listen up, you and your brother must drive to your mother in town. It’s difficult for her to survive in this backwater. The ranch, too, is in desperate need of repair. Now, I’m going through a difficult time. Couldn’t this wait until later? Alternatively, Spencer might be able to assist. He has a larger home than I do.”
Walt responded, inventing difficulties that did not exist, as he went, “Viola, I understand, but it’s just not possible for me to come right now. You know how busy things are for me.”
Viola grasped the situation and hung up the phone. After talking with her husband, she made the decision to relocate Mrs. Barnes to her home. Even more so now that Rebecca had grown up and was in high school, she could assist the elderly lady if she needed it. Mrs. Barnes had initially fought vehemently and refused to leave her home, but Viola and her family were the only ones who wanted her, so she reluctantly accepted. The old woman had no idea when she went to this strange house that the time she would spend within its walls would be the last of her tough existence.
Viola, her husband, and their daughter lavished the elderly woman with the care and love she had been denied for so long. And if Walt and Spencer had only visited their mother on rare occasions previously, they had ceased coming altogether, leaving Viola and her family to deal with the old woman’s care.
Mrs. Barnes’ life had obviously been extended by her relocation to the Ross residence, but as we know, time is not kind to anyone. Amanda Barnes was no exception to this rule. Despite Mrs. Ross’s best efforts, she died three days before her 80th birthday on a warm morning. Viola rushed to inform the old woman’s sons, but they reacted calmly to the news of their mother’s death, as if they had long before buried her in their hearts.
“So you’re not going to come? This is your mother, Walt. Is this even possible? Please, do not come!” Viola screamed angrily, unable to handle the thought of her parents being treated in this manner.
“No, we won’t be coming with the funeral things, and all. Our attendance won’t be worth anything anyway. You’ll be okay without us,” Walt replied and hung up. Viola’s eyes welled up with tears. She’d never been through anything like this before, and it was difficult for her to pull herself together and go on with the burial.
Viola locked Mrs. Barnes’s house after seeing her off on her final journey and mentally prepared herself for a probable visit from her sons. The woman had heard about their compulsive greed and expected the brothers to show up and split the fortune sooner or later.
So, when Viola’s doorbell rang a year later, she already knew what was on the other side of the door. However, there was an intimidating middle-aged man waiting on the porch with a leather folder in his hands. Much to her astonishment, he said, “Hello and good morning. Is it okay if I see Rebecca Ross? I’m a notary’s office agent, and I need to provide Amanda Barnes’ final will and testament.”
“Well, please come in,” Viola said quietly. Rebecca was already waiting for the notary agent as he walked into the hall. She had just turned 18 and was feeling a little self-conscious about the attention she was receiving.
With a small cough, the notary agent straightened his tie and announced in a monotone voice that Amanda Barnes had written a will in favor of Rebecca Ross. “Mrs. Barnes’ house and any money accounts are seated in her will,” the notary agent remarked. Needless to say, the notary agent’s statements left an indelible impression on Viola and her family. After all, the woman who was caring for the ailing old lady out of the goodness of her heart had no idea that she would leave her possessions to her daughter.
Rebecca’s and her mother’s eyes welled up with tears. After leaving the relevant paperwork and details, the notary agent silently exited. Rebecca, of course, had no idea that she would become wealthy. After all, the late Mrs. Barnes had a substantial amount of money in her bank account, which she’d been saving for decades.
Amanda Barnes had not forgotten about her sons, and she had left them a note that only they could read. Two cars belonging to Mrs. Barnes’ sons pulled up in front of Viola’s house the day after the notary agent left. When Walt and Spencer found that their mother had left all of her belongings to Viola’s daughter, their outrage knew no bounds.
“My mother was forced to write a will in your favor by you! You’re a crook and a thief. This is not going to work!” Waving his hands, Walt exclaimed when he and Spencer read the letter from his mother. Though his facial expressions shifted and he calmed down, the following was written in the letter:
“If you’re reading this letter now, my darling sons, Spencer and Walt, please know that I am no longer living. I appreciate your outrage about the will, but I wrote it while I was still sane and well. It took a lot of courage on your part to give me a few hours of your time. As a result, I’ve decided not to leave you an inheritance. Don’t be too hard on Viola. My old property and bank account, I believe, are of higher value in her hands. Goodbye, and please raise your children properly so that you’ll never have to go through what I have.”
The brothers walked outside and into their automobiles without saying anything. Viola hadn’t seen them in years. Mrs. Barnes only found them grieving at her grave once on the day of her funeral. But they never expressed any sort of regret or remorse for their actions.
Viola, on the other hand, continued to look after the house and the land, taking care of the legacy Mrs. Barnes had left behind. She and her family continued to live their lives, their hearts filled with gratitude for the kindness and love they had received from the old woman. And as for Mrs. Barnes, her final act of generosity and justice had made a lasting impact, leaving behind a lesson for her sons to learn from.