Disabled Grandma Has to Work as Cleaner so That Her Grandkids Are Not Taken to Shelter – Story of the Day

63-year-old Eloise works hard as a cleaner to support her grandchildren despite her disability. But her world turns upside down when a social worker arrives at her doorstep one evening. Eloise could lose her grandchildren's custody, so she is forced to work extra hours. Her troubles only get bigger when she faints on the job.

Eloise stirred the soup and checked on the beans. Like every other evening, she was in the kitchen, preparing dinner for her grandchildren, Lacey and Corey.

Eloise had been raising them alone since their parents died in a car accident three years ago when Corey was just a baby. It was hard, but she and the children pulled through.

The soup had come to a simmer when Eloise felt like she heard something.

"Grandma! What do we have for dinner tonight?" 8-year-old Lacey yelled from the living room.

Eloise adjusted her hearing aid. "What?" she called out. "Did you kids call me?"

Eloise was partially deaf and couldn't hear a word without her hearing aid. She didn't hear a response, so she busied herself with the soup. But minutes later, she heard Lacey yelling, "I'm asking about the dinner, Grandma!"

Eloise flinched as Lacey was shouting in her ear. "Oh, it's beans and spinach soup, dear!" she replied loudly, her heart racing from Lacey's yelling.

"AGAIN?" Lacey scowled.

"Well, it's good for growing kids," Eloise replied with a smile. "All those proteins and vitamins in there are your building blocks."

Lacey stared daggers at Eloise. She was tired of Eloise and her boring old healthy recipes. She knew Eloise cooked such meals not because they were healthy but because they were cheap. All her friends enjoyed things like pizza or mac and cheese for dinner. Nobody ate the bland spinach and beans!

Eloise clearly didn't have any idea about how Lacey's friends were living their best lives. Almost every day, Lacey heard stories from her friends about their parents taking them to amusement parks and shopping. Their life was perfect: they ate yummy food, used the latest gadgets, and went on exotic vacations.

Lacey and Corey never got to enjoy any of that, and they would never have so much fun even in the future because Eloise was just a simple cleaner at the supermarket. Pizza was a luxury reserved for their birthday, but Lacey started hating the taste of it after Eloise began baking it at home instead of ordering from a pizza place.

To put it simply, Lacey was done with Eloise. She was about to yell at her grandmother for preparing another boring dinner, but the doorbell distracted her. Eloise was busy setting the dinner table and didn't hear the subsequent ring either, so Lacey angrily marched to the front door and answered.

"Yes?" she asked.

"Hi there! You must be Lacey!" the social worker, Alice, smiled at her. "Is your grandmother home?"

Lacey rolled her eyes. "Yeah, she is!"

"Can I come in?" Alice asked.

Lacey shrugged and opened the door wider.

Alice stepped inside, but as she looked around Eloise's modest living room, her smile faded into a grimace. The wallpaper had peeled off in spots, the floors could certainly use vacuuming, and the furniture—she ran her fingertips over the fabric of the old sofa—needed dusting.

"Hello, Mrs. Russell. How are you doing?" she asked as she approached Eloise, and Eloise's heart skipped a beat.

"What brings you here at this hour?" she asked rather loudly.

"I'm here for another inspection," Alice said, her gaze darting over the house. "Can I take a look around?"

Eloise's heart shuddered at the question. She hadn't been feeling particularly well lately, so she had been putting off the cleaning and dusting. She didn't expect Alice or any other social worker to show up at her house any time soon.

But now Eloise couldn't ask Alice to leave. The State was aware of how she was struggling. As a result, there were frequent visits by the social workers to check whether she was capable of raising her grandchildren on her own.

Eloise nodded and made way for Alice as the woman entered the kitchen. Eloise noticed Alice taking notes while she checked the place. Alice sniffed the dinner and tasted a spoonful of the soup. Then, she marched to the other rooms.

When Alice returned to the living room, she asked Eloise to take a seat.

"I'd like to talk to you alone, Mrs. Russell," she said, looking at Lacey.

Eloise sent Lacey inside and sat across from Alice.

"All right, Mrs. Russell. I'm going to keep it brief and to the point," Alice began, looking her in the eye. "I don't know how else to put it, but given your current living situation, the court will have no choice but to place your grandchildren in a shelter. We've been evaluating your home on a regular basis, and you've consistently failed to meet appropriate standards. At this rate, you'll lose custody of your grandchildren."

"I'm not letting you take my grandchildren!" Eloise growled. "Did you hear that?"

"We're not going to take them right away, Mrs. Russell," Alice sighed. "However, if the court issues a notice, you will be powerless to intervene. You must recognize that the shelter is a viable option for your grandchildren. We know several families who'll be more than happy to welcome Lacey and Corey into their homes and lives. That's the whole purpose of our Foster Care program. I went through Corey's room, and no child should be living in filth and dirt. Besides, the food you're giving them is insufficient. They need more nutrition."

"Excuse me?" Eloise sprang to her feet almost too quickly, enraged. "What do you know about my life, young lady? I've been working hard every day to provide for my grandchildren."

Eloise had indeed worked incredibly hard. She had even cut short her recovery period after she suffered a terrible ankle sprain—she would mop the floors of the entire supermarket sitting in a wheelchair.

"Mrs. Russell…" Alice shook her head as she got to her feet. "You are not giving the court a choice. Look, the foster care program is designed specifically for—"

"I'm not giving up my grandchildren, Alice!" Eloise said sternly. "The State is mistaken to think I can't provide a wonderful life for my grandchildren when I'm working so hard. I'll prove it in court that I'm capable of looking after my babies! I can make more money! Now. I believe it's late, and we all deserve to rest after such a long day. You may leave!"

Alice tried to explain the problem to Eloise again, but she wouldn't listen. She slammed the door shut in Alice's face that evening, swearing under her breath that she would prove to the world she wasn't a failed grandmother.

The next day, Eloise stood outside her manager, Mr. Atkinson's office and rubbed her palms nervously. She had come to see him the first thing after arriving for work, leaving her grandchildren with her next-door neighbor, Stacey.

Deep down, Eloise didn't like the overly energetic, over-friendly woman Stacey was. That young woman was spoiling her grandchildren for all Eloise knew. But now Eloise would need her more than ever.

Eloise took a deep breath and knocked on Mr. Atkinson's door. She pressed her ear to the door immediately and heard a yes.

"Morning, Mr. Atkinson," Eloise said as she stepped inside the office and closed the door behind her. "Can I speak to you for a minute?"

"I'm all over the place today, Eloise. Be quick," he said, barely looking at her and fidgeting with papers on his desk.

"I…" She swallowed and cleared her throat. "I was hoping you could give me extra shifts at the supermarket."

"What?" He looked at her. "I think we've already got all the shifts covered. And Eloise, I don't need to remind you that for someone like you—an elderly, disabled person—that would not be a good idea. Come on, Eloise, you know I'm really grateful for your service, but I can't assign you more working hours," he added and returned to the papers.

Eloise couldn't give up. "Mr. Atkinson, please," she interrupted him again. "The thing is, I'm doing this for my grandchildren. It's a personal emergency, and I could really use some extra money now. Can you please consider it?"

Mr. Atkinson sighed and leaned back in his chair. "Eloise, you know that I—"

"Please, sir," she cut him off respectfully. "My grandchildren need this more than I do. Please."

Mr. Atkinson couldn't refuse Eloise again. "Fine," he answered. He assigned her the night shift that day, and Eloise couldn't be happier. "Thank you…Thank you so much, sir!" she chirped as she left his office.

But that evening, when Eloise was cleaning the supermarket, she suddenly felt sick as she was mopping the floors near the milk aisle. Suddenly, her head spun, and she grabbed the milk rack to keep her balance.

Eloise had no idea what was happening to her, but her entire body trembled. Her breathing got hard as the mop slid from her grasp. She realized she needed to call someone for assistance and wheeled her chair over to the cash register. But before she could get there, she landed on the floor with a thump. Her eyes rolled back into her head, and everything went black.

When Eloise tried opening her eyes, everything around her was oddly quiet. Her eyelids felt heavy, and she struggled to make out her surroundings. She could see some tubes attached to her arm and sense the oxygen mask around her mouth.

Then she realized she wasn't alone. The nurse beside her flinched, and her eyes widened in horror as if she had seen a ghost. "Oh my god!" she exclaimed, panicking and hurriedly pressing the hospital call button.

"Doctor! The patient is awake!"

The next thing Eloise knew, a doctor was standing beside her bed, examining her eyes with a pupil torch. Eloise didn't understand what was going on. The hospital staff stared at her as if they hadn't expected her to wake up.

"Mrs. Russell, how are you feeling now?" the doctor asked gently. "Do you recall how you got here?"

Eloise pressed her memory for details, but she didn't remember anything. "I…I don't know…" She shook her head.

"That's OK. Don't stress yourself," the doctor smiled encouragingly. "You might have difficulties recalling the past events after being in a coma for nearly a year."

"What?" Eloise's heart raced. "Coma? What..what are you talking about, doctor?" Suddenly, two faces flashed across Eloise's mind. "My grandchildren!" she said. "Where are my grandchildren, Lacey and Corey? They…they must be alone!"

"Mrs. Russell, please relax," the doctor said calmly. "You've just gained consciousness. All of the tension is bad for you. Don't panic. Your grandchildren are fine and safe."

"I want to meet them!" Eloise demanded. "Take me to them!"

"Ma'am, please," said the doctor. "You have to understand that you need to rest for now. They will be permitted to visit you once your condition has stabilized. For the time being, we must keep you under observation. We need to run a few tests, and only if your results are normal will we be able to release you."

For the next few days, Eloise stayed at the hospital. She was eagerly waiting for the moment she could see Lacey and Corey again. Her test results were in, but it would take a few days before she left this place.

One morning, she was sitting on her bed and looking out the window when her room door flung open. "Grandma!" Lacey ran to Eloise and gave her a tight hug, and Eloise was so happy she couldn't contain her tears.

"Oh my God. My baby!" she cried, wrapping her granddaughter in a tight hug. "How have you been, my darling?"

But the moment Eloise looked at the door again, her face fell. Alice entered from behind the doctor, holding Corey in her arms.

"How have you been, Mrs. Russell?" she asked.

"Bring him here," Eloise said stiffly, ignoring her question and opening her arms for her grandson. She held her two grandchildren close to her heart, and the relief she felt couldn't be expressed in mere words.

"Good news for you, Mrs. Russell! I inquired at the reception desk, and your reports look good. It appears that you'll be able to get a discharge in the coming days," Alice said, taking a seat on the chair beside her bed.

"Yes, that's what I'd hoped. It should be OK for the kids to live with me after that, right?" Eloise asked hopefully, but her heart sank when she noticed Alice averted her eyes and sighed heavily.

"Not really, Mrs. Russell," Alice said. "The thing is…Corey and Lacey have a new home now. A year ago, when you were hospitalized here…we didn't have a choice but to place your grandchildren in a shelter. A month later, they were sent to a foster home. The couple really loved them and wanted to adopt them. The children were happy, too…and we did what was best for them. The foster parents love Corey and Lacey, and the children are really glad to have a happy home again."

"Who gave you the right to do that?" Eloise demanded furiously, holding her grandchildren close. "You took advantage of my illness and stole my grandchildren from me! I'm not leaving them again!"

"The court agreed that it was better for them, Mrs. Russell," Alice said. "Please, you need to let them go."

Alice got to her feet and began taking the kids away from Eloise, but Eloise wouldn't leave them. "Back off!" She slapped Alice's hand away. "Don't you dare touch my babies! Get out of my room!"

"Mrs. Russell, what you're doing is not right. You can't keep the children with you!" Alice argued. "I didn't bring them here for this! If you keep acting like that, I'll have to forbid you from meeting them."

Eloise lost her cool. "I am their grandmother, and I know what is best for them!" she exclaimed loudly. "I won't—" But before Eloise could finish, she began coughing hard, and her blood pressure rose. Eloise's condition was deteriorating. The doctor had to intervene and request that Alice leave.

A few days passed. Eloise returned home after being discharged from the hospital, but she hadn't been able to see her grandchildren. After what happened at the hospital, Alice wouldn't give her the foster home address. But Eloise wasn't one to give up.

She talked Alice into giving her the address by promising to be on her best behavior once she met her grandchildren's adoptive parents. But deep down, Eloise had something else in mind.

Eloise stepped out of the taxi at the address and looked at the modest house in front of her. It had a lovely garden and two swings in the backyard. It appeared to be a happy family house. She walked up the stairs to the front porch and rang the doorbell.

Moments later, a young woman appeared in the doorway.

"Oh!" she exclaimed, pausing. "You're Corey and Lacey's grandmother…Eloise, right? Hello, my name is Cynthia. I saw your picture in the adoption papers."

"Nice to meet you, dear," Eloise replied nervously. "Can I come in?"

"Yes, yes. Alice told us you'd be visiting."

Cynthia led Alice down the hallway into a small but neat living room where Lacey and Corey were playing with toys on the carpet.

"Lacey, look who's here," Cynthia told the little girl, and Lacey smiled brightly.

"Grandma!"

"My beautiful baby girl!"

Eloise opened her arms as Lacey ran to her and hugged her. Then Eloise scooped little Corey in her arms.

"Grandma! Grandma! Come with me! I'll show you my room!" Lacey took Eloise to a room upstairs, which was beautifully decorated with princess-themed wallpapers. A sturdy bed sat in the center. It was a sharp contrast to Eloise's house, where the wallpaper was a dull brown, and Lacey's bed made funny sounds when she slept on it.

"And I have so many new toys now, Grandma! See!" Lacey raced to a toy chest in the corner of the room and began showing off her new toys. Then she showed Eloise around Corey's room, which was equally lovely and immaculate.

"I know you must've missed them, Eloise," Cynthia served Eloise some tea and cookies in the kitchen. Then she sat across from Eloise beside her husband, James. The children were in their room.

"I have," Eloise said, taking a sip of the tea. "And you must understand that they are my grandchildren, and I will fight for their custody if you refuse to let them come home with me. You can't just take them away like that."

"I'm sorry?" James sneered in disbelief. "We took Lacey and Corey in legally, so we're not going to give in to your demands, Mrs. Russell. We are legally their parents."

"Well, then I'll see you in court," Eloise said, setting the cup loudly on the counter. "I don't care what happened when I was not here, but I'm not going to accept this. Was I around when you stole my grandchildren? No, I wasn't! You didn't even ask for my permission when you took them in!" she fumed.

"How were we supposed to consult you when you were in a coma, Eloise?" Cynthia lost her cool and stood up. "You're being unreasonable! We did take a lot of care about the legalities of this. And now, we want things to be peaceful for you and us. We are not saying we won't let you meet Lacey and Corey. They need their grandmother. But you have to understand the boundaries, Eloise," she added.

"We can bring the kids over to your house and have you come over, and everything will be fine on both ends. We are in a better financial position to provide for them. We recently started a new clothing store. Yes, we took out a loan, but the business has shown good results, so we can give Lacey and Corey a good life."

"That's what you think!" Eloise hissed. "I believe that all that matters for a child is to be surrounded by their real family! And you're not their biological parents! I'd say—" A sharp buzzing on James's phone cut Eloise off.

"I'm sorry, but I have to take this. I'd appreciate it if you could keep it down for a minute or two, Mrs. Russell," James replied stiffly as he excused himself and answered the phone.

"Yes? Wow! Thank you very much! That is excellent news! Of course, it's a pleasure to work with you!" he said. "OK, thank you again."

"Honey," James returned to Cynthia. "It was the insurance firm! The paperwork was approved! Our store is now insured. We have nothing to be concerned about."

"Oh, that's amazing news, babe!" Cynthia grinned and took his hands in hers. She then turned to face Eloise.

"Do you still want to take Lacey and Corey from us?" she asked. "You know we can give them the good life they deserve, Eloise."

"No, honey. She isn't going to take them away. You know what, Mrs. Russell," James chimed in. "You came here with the intention of challenging us in court, right? Well, how about we do it? We accept your challenge. We'll be waiting for the summon. Lacey and Corey are our children according to the law, and we have all the right to raise them. Now, please, excuse us. The door is right behind you."

Eloise had had enough of the disrespect. She grabbed her handbag and stormed out of the house, telling herself she would reclaim her grandkids. But on the taxi ride home, Eloise's mind was plagued with worries. She knew she didn't stand a chance in the court.

Cynthia and James could provide a much better life for Lacey and Corey than she could. And the court would undoubtedly favor a young, full-fledged family with a high income. So Eloise had to do something to show that Cynthia and James weren't capable of providing a good life for her grandkids. A cunning idea struck Eloise soon.

That evening, Eloise stopped by the old dump in the city. Near it was a bridge where the homeless often camped. It was a nasty and disadvantaged area. Someone like Eloise had no job here. But if someone could help her execute her plan, it would be one of the desperate bums who crashed here at night.

Eloise scrunched her nose as she walked over to the bridge. She spotted a lone man in a tent at the far end. He sat huddled in a corner. "Hello there. Would you like a job? I could pay you," she offered.

Eloise noticed his eyes gleamed at the mention of money, and he looked around to ensure no one was watching them.

"What do you want me to do, lady?" he asked quietly.

"Here," She slipped him a note with the address. "Break the store window, set the entire establishment on fire, and you can have $1000!" She showed him the money. "Can you do it?"

The man nodded, and she paid him before he walked away. Eloise was relieved that her plan would work. Nobody would ever suspect her as they would think she was home. She hailed a taxi and went home.

The next morning, Eloise sat in her living room, surfing through news channels. When she paused at one of the state news channels, she noticed James' store being featured! The two-storeyed structure was reduced to a pile of charred wreckage and debris. A fire department truck and several police cars were parked outside.

Then a reporter contacted someone for an interview, and Eloise assumed it was a random local...until she saw the man's face on TV. When she watched how desperate James appeared on TV, she grinned maliciously. He looks distraught, but he deserves it for what he had done, Eloise thought triumphantly. She was now ready to face him and Cynthia in court.

A few days later, the day Eloise had been looking forward to finally arrived: the custody trial. James and Cynthia arrived on time as per the summons. Eloise noticed they sat looking dejected and nervous, and deep down, she was nervous, too. She just hoped her grandchildren's custody would be granted to her.

As Judge Emerson entered, everyone rose, and so did Eloise. The court session began, and Judge Emerson looked at Eloise.

"So, Mrs. Russell, because we know the court's time is valuable, we'll start now," she added. "Can you please tell the court why you deserve the custody of your grandchildren?"

Eloise took a deep breath and nodded as she looked at the judge.

"Your Honor, my grandchildren mean everything to me," she began. "I could quit my job and live a peaceful life in a nursing home if I wanted to, but I am all my grandchildren have. When their parents died four years ago, no one in our family came forward to support them. I couldn't bear the thought of my babies growing up orphaned when they had a family—ME—so I opted to raise them."

As Eloise proceeded, tears rose in her eyes.

"I…I Iove them more than my life, and I can't live without them, your Honor. Yes, I admit I didn't make much money before...I worked as a cleaner in a supermarket. But I recently got a better job, and I'm capable of providing a better life for my grandchildren. I just want my children back. Nothing else matters to me. They don't deserve to live with strangers when they have me, their grandma, to look after them. I've worked extremely hard all along to provide a wonderful life for them, and I intend to continue doing so. That's all there is to it, your Honor."

"Alright. Mr. Sanders, could you please explain to the court why you and your wife deserve the custody of Mrs. Russell's grandchildren?" Judge Emerson looked at James. "The court is aware that you took them in legitimately, but Mrs. Russell believes she is entitled to custody."

"Your Honor, with all due respect, I do not believe Mrs. Russell's words. I don't think she's here to fight for them because she loves them! She has been determined to get her grandchildren back all because she believes she is their true family. To be honest, your Honor, my wife and I never imagined for a second that Mrs. Russell's grandchildren were not ours.

"My wife and I struggled to conceive for years, and when Corey and Lacey came into our lives, it was as if our family was complete. We grew to love them as parents," James stated emotionally. "We literally couldn't have asked God for anything more...And until...the fire at my store, we were a happy family. It has undoubtedly caused us inconvenience, and we are currently experiencing difficulties. But my wife and I can't imagine a life without Corey and Lacey. We have always given them the best, and we will continue to do that."

"Just to be clear, Mr. Sanders," Judge Emerson replied. "How is the investigation progressing? According to what I know about the investigation into the fire at your store, it's suspected that you started the fire in order to receive money from the insurance company. Am I correct? And I—"

"Your Honor, that's not true! I didn't—"

"Mr. Sanders," Judge Emerson cut him off. "You don't interrupt me in my courtroom. You let me finish, and then you speak."

"So…sorry, your Honor," James sighed.

"It is currently being investigated that you were behind the arson because you had taken insurance only a few days before the fire," Judge Emerson stated. "Is that true, Mr. Sanders?"

James buried his face in his palms and didn't say anything.

"Am I correct, Mr. Sanders?" Judge Emerson asked again.

"Yes, your Honor," James nodded. "I did take the insurance only a few days ago, but I was not behind the fire! Why would I do that? My business was growing, and I was happy with the store's success. In fact, I'm ready to defend my claim in court!"

"That's a whole other case for you to battle. Let's stick to how it affects the custody matter for now, Mr. Sanders," Judge Emerson said. "Am I correct that the insurance company is not on your side as of now?"

"Not yet, you Honor."

"Now, is it true that if the insurance firm refuses to cover the damages and pay you, you can be prosecuted?"

"Yes, yes, your Honor," James hung his head.

"Now, let me ask you another question about the children's well-being...Do you have another source of income to support Mrs. Russell's grandkids if you don't get the insurance money? Does your wife have a job?"

"No, no, your Honor."

"And you started the store by taking out a bank loan. Correct?"

"Yes, your Honor," James sighed helplessly.

A few hours later, the court decided to award custody to Eloise.

"Well, you have to understand, Mr. Sanders, that the court here wants what is in the best interest of the children. And so, I'm awarding the full custody of the children to their grandmother, Mrs. Russell. You must hand over the children and their possessions to Mrs. Russell."

"Oh! Thank you, God!" Eloise's hands went to her mouth in joy as warm tears flowed down her cheeks. But James and Cynthia had never been so heartbroken. They hugged each other and grieved, oblivious to what Eloise had done to get her grandchildren back.

After the court session, Eloise's next-door neighbor, Stacey, gave Eloise and her grandchildren a ride back home. While Eloise's joy knew no bounds to have Lacey and Corey back, Corey was crying all the way home. "Mawmy…I want Mawmy!"

Corey was crying for Cynthia. Eloise noticed that Lacey's cheeks were red, and she was sniffling quietly, trying to fight her tears as she stared out the window.

"Everything will be fine, children," Eloise reassured her. "I got another job yesterday, and this time, the salary is bigger and better! We will live differently! We can go shopping and have fun!"

But Lacey continued to stare out the window, and tears eventually trickled down her face. Corey kept crying. Eloise's reassurance didn't change the children's mood. They were missing Cynthia and James.

As days flew by, Eloise moved on with her life. She forgot how she had ruined James and Cynthia's happy family life. She was thrilled and relieved her grandchildren were home with her. But one morning, while Eloise was busy in the kitchen, the doorbell rang.

"I'm coming!" She called out and marched to the front door, only to find Cynthia and James at her doorstep.

"Hi, we bought Lacey and Corey's remaining stuff," James remarked, holding up a box. "Where should we keep it?"

"Oh yes, please come on in," Eloise brought them inside and asked them to leave it in the living room corner. After James finished bringing in all the boxes from the porch, Cynthia called out to the children.

"Lacey? Corey? Can we say goodbye for one last time?"

But there was no response.

"Eloise, are the kids not home?" Cynthia asked as she joined her in the kitchen.

"Oh no, they were in the backyard. Must be there," Eloise said. "Why don't you go meet them there? You too, James."

James and Cynthia went to meet the children, but when they returned, they looked horrified. "The kids are not there, Eloise!" Cynthia cried. "We looked around everywhere!"

"What?" Eloise checked all the rooms and the bathroom, but the kids were not there. Then she checked the backyard herself, and the children were not there.

"We'll check with the neighbors. Perhaps they saw them," James suggested. Cynthia and James went door-to-door, asking whether anyone had seen Lacey or Corey. But none of the neighbors knew anything.

Corey was too young to go anywhere by himself, and Lacey was only nine years old. Eloise was horrified. Had someone kidnapped them?

For fifteen minutes, Eloise, James, and Cynthia were freaking out, trying to ask everyone they could if they had seen the children. Suddenly, Eloise's attention was drawn to a piece of woollen fabric peeking out of the trunk of James and Cynthia's mini-van.

When Eloise flung the trunk open and removed the blanket, she found Lacey and Corey curled underneath it.

"Get out, you both!" Eloise fumed. "What kind of games are these? Did you know how worried we were? And Lacey, you're the big sister! What are you teaching Corey?"

"Grandma, we…" Lacey's eyes welled up, and Eloise knew what it meant. But she couldn't fall weak now. No, she couldn't do it.

"I said, GET OUT OF THERE, Lacey!" Eloise yelled.

"Enough, Eloise!" A voice screamed, and Eloise turned to see Cynthia glaring at her.

"Enough with your rules and putting pressure on them! Eloise, you and I both know why they're doing this! Open your eyes and look around! They want to live with us, but you won't let them...Not because you love them but because you believe you own them! You are a lonely, old, selfish woman, Eloise! How could you be so heartless to your own grandchildren? Look at their faces!"

"I will call the police right now," Eloise shot back. "Children should live with their family, not with those who just pretend to care for them!"

Eloise and Cynthia would've continued to argue, but Lacey screamed and cut them off. "Gramma, stop!"

The little girl covered her ears with her tiny hands as sobs rocked through her body.

"Gramma…We…We love you. But w…we love our new mommy and our new daddy, too. I miss Mommy and Daddy...After angels took them away, our new mommy and daddy loved us. We don't want to leave new mommy and daddy…Please!" she sniffled. "We don't want to leave them, grandma!" she screamed. "We'll hate you if you break up our family!"

Eloise stepped back, speechless, as she watched her granddaughter's reaction. A shock wave washed over her as she looked at Lacey, Corey, Cynthia, and James puzzledly.

"Eloise? Are you OK?" Cynthia asked, but Eloise couldn't comprehend anything.

"I...I was the one who set fire to your store!" she exclaimed eventually.

"I did it! Call the police," she said and confessed to her crimes.

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