Teaching Through Time: How I Showed My Sons the Value of Patience

My Selfish Sons Could Not Wait for My Death, I Brilliantly Taught Them a Lesson

Jake and his spouse made the decision to move in with Rosa after learning that his mother was ill, but it wasn’t a selfless decision. Jake had an opportunity to demonstrate his own self, but he lacked the strength to behave morally. Rosa had to give him and his brother a harsh lesson at that point.

The first dispute of the day was already taking place in Jake and Lucy’s flat as the early morning light peeked through their curtains.

“Jake, how many times do we have to talk about this?” Lucy was obviously frustrated. It was another hectic morning as she scurried around the kitchen, holding her half-finished coffee. “We’re having trouble making ends meet, and it seems like you’re not even looking for a way out.”

Seated at their beat-up kitchen table, Jake felt helpless. His pitiful wage from the factory made their goal of a decent house seem unattainable. Pulling at his hair, he replied, “I am trying, Lucy.”

His wife took a seat, her rage turning to worry. However, it goes beyond money. Even when you are here, it feels as though you are not. You’re blind to the fact that we’re drowning,” she groaned.

His gaze locked with hers. Lucy, I hear you. We’ll resolve this. Holding her hand, he confirmed, “Together.”

Just then, a phone call cut them off. It was Jake’s mother, Rosa. “I feel really ill… Please drive me to the hospital. Her voice grew raspy as she pleaded, “I don’t think I can wait any longer.”

“Can’t Ryan handle it, Mom?” Jake’s query was a wild guess because his sibling was barely trustworthy.

“I gave him a try. “No response,” Rosa remarked gravely.

“All right, Mom. He assured her, “I’m on my way,” and hung up. Lucy’s fleeting concerns regarding finances vanished in the face of Rosa’s illness.

Jake was at the hospital helping his clearly frail mother. When Ryan finally showed up, he was late and looked casual, which instantly infuriated everyone. He grumbled, “You’re late,” unable to contain his annoyance.

Ryan shrugged and said, “Had some things to sort,” which made everything worse. “What’s the big deal?”

Ryan, the ‘main problem’ is that Mom is ill. Really sick, Jake shot back, fighting to control his rage in the sterile hallway of the hospital.

Dr. Thomas’s entrance broke up their dispute and redirected attention to Rosa’s immediate requirements and treatment. The physician described Rosa’s prescription schedule. Although the charges were exorbitant, Jake hoped the hospital could keep her longer.

“Alright,” sighed Jake. “We’ll take care of her at home.” Ryan remained silent while he handled all the arrangements. However, his brother had the audacity to point out that he owned half of Rosa’s house.

“You’re just going to leave all the responsibility to me, and yet, you’re worried about her house?” Jake enquired.

“That’s the way things are,” Ryan remarked icily before abandoning his brother to take care of his mother.

Jake had to wait for his wife to become even more enraged with him than she had been that morning before calling to explain the issue. He said, “We need to move in with Mom for a while,” and Lucy didn’t say anything for a short while.

“All right. We’ll manage to make it happen. We always do,” she finally said.

Luckily, they began to see the positive side of things as they were going. Without rent to pay, they could save a lot of money, and if Rosa died away, they probably would keep the house.

But they were not prepared for the reality of caring. Their actions become stiff and mechanical as everything felt overwhelming. The tension in the home increased, and it felt as though one of them would lose it.

That was one afternoon. Lucy had had enough after an especially difficult day of cleaning, tending to Rosa’s numerous demands, and handling her medication.

She almost burst into tears as she stated, “I can’t do this anymore.” “I never intended to work as a carer full-time. I think I’m going crazy over here.”

Despite his own fatigue, Jake attempted to find comfort in solidarity. Together, let’s tackle this. He prodded, “Consider the endgame,” but Lucy pushed off his consoling palm.

She was no longer patient. “Nah! I’m done! Either I go, or your mother goes. It’s not how I imagined our life to be, and I’m not a maid. You must determine what matters most to you.”

Jake was conflicted by this demand. A little later, he faced his mother and tried to hide his hopelessness. “Hi, Mom. Trying to sound positive, he asked, “How are you feeling?

What Rosa said next only made him feel even more guilty. “I’m so grateful for you and Lucy and how you’ve cared for me,” she stated. Knowing his poor, naive mother had no idea what he was thinking, Jake quietly hung his head.

They were on their way to a new location a few days later. Jake thought he had found the only place for him to live, so he looked up a religious assisted living facility online. He told his mother all the good things about it on the way there. “There are experts there. Perhaps it’s better for you,” he exclaimed with joy.

Rosa knew something was wrong despite his demeanour. However, what about Lucy and you? Having relatives close by is crucial, isn’t it? She enquired.

Jake said, “We’ll visit often,” but he could see Lucy’s cold look from the passenger side. However, he persisted in promoting the new location for Rosa’s benefit.

Jake turned to the nursing home administrator and licked his lips while telling a falsehood. “She has nowhere else to go,” the speaker said. He murmured, averting his mother’s perplexed glance, “We can’t provide her the attention she needs.

Rosa said in a whisper, “But I don’t like it here, Jake,” as she appeared smaller and more exposed on the office chair. I’m ready to return home.”

He gave her comfort. “Mom, you’ll be fine here. It fits better. I’ll be back frequently, I swear.”

Jake met Dr. Thomas, who occasionally helped at this nursing facility, after helping his mother settle into her room. When the doctor inquired about Rosa’s wellbeing, Jake was forced to make up an explanation.

“She’s getting better. I’m trying my best to take care of her at home with Lucy. He sidestepped the doctor’s gaze and remarked, “It’s just…the medications, they’re more expensive than we anticipated.”

Jake accepted Dr. Thomas’s instant offer of financial support because it would help everyone, but his guilt multiplied threefold.

Jake tried to cheer Lucy up back at Rosa’s place by making her a special meal, and for a little while, everything seemed to be going well. But he didn’t hear from Dr. Thomas for several hours. He had found out about Jake’s lies, as well as the fact that Rosa had been admitted to the nursing home instead of recuperating at home as he had said.

After stumbling through an explanation, Jake was informed by the doctor that his mother’s condition had gotten worse and that she required emergency medical care. Before acting, he was stunned for a few seconds and was overcome with regret.

All right, Dr. Thomas. He managed to respond, “We’ll meet you there,” hardly raising his voice above a whisper. He hung up the phone, and Lucy turned to face him, her eyes wide with fear. As he discussed Rosa’s condition, he found it difficult to remain composed.

When they visited Dr. Thomas at the hospital, he provided more information regarding Rosa’s condition. He locked eyes with Jake and stated, “She needs an immediate operation.” “But we have to think about the possibility of turning off the life support devices if you can’t afford the procedure. It would enable her to go peacefully in death.”

Jake felt tears welling up on his cheeks, but his thoughts were consumed by the thought of years of increasing debt once the doctor left them in Rosa’s room to talk about the situation. In order to cover all expenses, they could possibly need to sell the house. Then, what would they do?

Lucy broke the heated silence, interrupting his disturbing thoughts.

She said softly, “This might be a blessing in disguise. “There won’t be any more barriers once the machines are shut off. The house will be entirely ours. Our issues will all be resolved. We’ll work up a strategy to get Ryan give up his half-claim to the land.”

Startled, Jake put an end to her calculated preparations and responded with the suggestion that they sell the property to pay for the surgery. Sadly, Lucy would have none of it. She was done pretending to be human.

“What happens next? Do we resume our daily struggles and worry about debt and bills? I’m over living that way. Either the machines or I is at fault. You must make a decision,” she yelled at her husband once more.

Jake saw her reasoning, even though he knew it was incorrect. At last, he proceeded to the hallway and informed the physician of their choice, even though it felt strange to utter such things out loud.

It was evident how disappointed Dr. Thomas felt. “Are you certain? His heavy brows furrowed as he said, “This surgery could save her.” His mouth tightened as though he had more to say.

However, Jake had made up his mind. “Yes,” he muttered, without saying anything more.

About a month after their mother’s death, Jake, Lucy, and Ryan met to discuss Rosa’s estate in a tense lawyer’s office. They spoke only a quick hello. Everyone wanted this to end as soon as possible.

Jake and Lucy naturally desired the house, saying that taking care of Rosa gave them complete ownership rights. His wife agreed silently but firmly, “We were the ones by her side,” he said, avoiding eye contact.

“That’s generous of you two to say that. I can confirm with certainty that you were not as present as you say. Ryan sneered, “I deserve my fair share.

The attorney stepped in and said, “Please, let’s be nice. Let’s talk about this calmly while you sit down.” The moment he began reading the will, everyone in the room gasped: Rosa bequeathed the house and her whole estate to charitable organisations.

“This can’t be right!” Lucy objected.

Jake said, “You must be mistaken.”

“Show us that will again!” yelled Ryan.

The attorney didn’t waver. “Charity was Rosa’s preferred use for her estate. In her own words, everything is here.”

But all of a sudden, the woman in issue entered the room, causing gasps and yells. “Mum! Are you… are you alright?” Jake yelled, knocking his chair over in his rush to get up.

“I never had a disease. All of this was a test, which you utterly failed,” Rosa disclosed.

“But, Mom, we… we were just worried about you,” stammered Jake. The older woman recognised the truth, even though the others attempted to say similar things.

Rosa rejected their justifications, expressing her dissatisfaction and her ultimate determination to refuse them anything. “Avoid attempting any sort of explanation. This is it. The lawyer promptly terminated them all once she departed the office.

Ryan was outside blaming his brother for anything. “This is all your fault!” Worse still, Lucy concurred with him.

“Jake, you realise Ryan is correct. You are a complete moron. She remarked coldly, “It’s unbelievable that I wasted so much time on you,” and turned to go.

As he collapsed on the lawyer’s office stairwell, Jake knew he had lost everything, even his moral compass. He may attempt to assign blame to Ryan or Lucy, but ultimately, he was the one who made the decisions.

He made the incorrect decision due to his weakness, and now he had to deal with the fallout on his own—alone.