15April2026
Dear Diary,
Hello, Mum, Im feeling dreadful and cant make it out. David and Emily have left little Charlie with me and gone off to a friends flat; I cant get a hold of them.
They left him again? What on earth! Ill be there straight away, Mum.
Half an hour later Margaretmy motherstood in the doorway, clutching her coat.
My blood pressures spiking, I cant bring it down. My head feels like its about to split open
Should we call an ambulance?
No, I just want to lie down. Charlies bouncing about the room, climbing onto everything, still a baby, he doesnt understand a thing
Margaret whisked the boy into the spare bedroom.
*Here they go again, abandoning a sick old woman with a toddler. Poor Mum is already frail; its a terrible thing to ask her to look after a squirming infant when she can barely keep herself upright. Instead of helping, theyre off drinking, thinking the night is theirs.*
An hour later David and Emily stumbled back, a little flushed from the pub.
David, Grandmas feeling ill and youre not answering my calls. Why did you leave Charlie with her again?!
Mum, its all fine! Shes just putting on a show; shes as fit as a fiddle.
Dont you speak to her like that! You have no conscience! Not only have you moved into her house, youre also burdening an elderly lady!
Well, youre not going to buy us a house, so where are we supposed to live?
Maybe you both should get a job? Charlie could be placed in a nursery; they take children from two years old onward, and then you could earn a proper wage.
We already workwe run a vlog with Emily. Once we hit the big leagues the cash will pour in like a river. Weve already sunk money into adverts; the payoff is just around the corner!
Thats nonsense! There are more vloggers than fleas on a dog! And we cant afford a house, you know that. You should have thought about this before starting a family.
Im not to blame for Emily marrying so quickly! I was forced into it!
Youre not to blame? I did it myself, didnt I? Emily interjected, her breath smelling of cheap whisky.
Dont start! I told you to stand your ground and now youre the one at fault
I wont listen to your drunken fantasies any longer. Im leaving. And dont hurt Grandma!
Margaret peeked into the bedroom; Charlie was fast asleep. The sleeping pill had finally worked.
And keep it down, Grandmas sleeping. Im out
Later that evening, after the news that Emilys project had gone terribly wrong, the couple rushed into a tiny, hastily arranged wedding. Only close relatives attended.
When the young pair asked to stay in a rented flat, the host refused, so they begged Aunt Alice for a room.
Auntie, you have two spare chambers; thatll be enough. Emily will help with cleaning, cooking, and the shopping.
What? Youre asking me to look after my own beloved grandson? Fine, Ill put you up. Im used to living alone, but you lot are noisylikely youll have music blasting and guests over. And now a child will be added to the mix; I have hypertension, you know.
Dont worry, itll be fine. Well get on our feet, buy a house, and move out soon enough.
Oh, my dear, Im used to my quiet, but you seem determined.
By the time David and Emily moved into my mothers house, theyd asked everyone to keep quiet about it, fearing Margaret would protest.
Darling, dont be so harsh. Theyll stay a while and then move on. Theyre not going to end up on the streets.
You signed up for this, didnt you? If David had found a job sooner, we wouldnt be in this mess. The lads are living off childbenefit while Emilys parents keep tossing cash their way.
David dropped out of his apprenticeship, was rejected from the army because of his asthma, and now spends his days drifting.
I never refused to look after my grandson, but when they started bringing Charlie over every day, I snapped.
Youre parents; you should be spending time with your child, not gallivanting with friends and filming nonsense. Bring Charlie over once or twice a week; I have my own chores.
They obliged, leaving Charlie with Aunt Alice. It was hard on her, but David kept promising it wouldnt happen again.
Margaret, did you know your mother is now an internet sensation?
What? She doesnt even use the internet.
David keeps asking her odd questions and then posting her earnest answers online. People are laughing at her.
The comments were in an uproaryoung people mocking an elderly lady. Margaret was livid.
I stormed out of the study, grabbed the phone and called my son.
Hello, love?
David, why are you filming Grandma and uploading it? Have you lost your mind?
Whats wrong with that? Its a trend now! Shes just answering simple questions whats the problem?
Emily chimed in, You know how many likes her videos get?
I dont want to know, I dont want to see them! Delete those videos now, or youll end up on the pavement.
Thanks, Mum for the support. I wont delete them. Our channel is climbing the charts thanks to those clips, advertisers are lining up. Stay out of it!
The call ended, and I felt my blood boil.
That night I told my husband, Tom, about the whole affair. He was equally outraged.
Margaret, lets go and speak to him!
David was at home, Emily was out with the baby, Aunt Alice was resting.
Whats the fuss? Everythings fine, just ignore the jealous. Everyones making money however they can!
Not by sneaking videos of Grandma! Delete them in front of me! I shouted.
Thats not serious, Mum! Im an adult, you cant tell me what to do!
Adult? Then move out of my flat and stop leeching off my pension!
David tried to lunge at me, but Tom held him back. He fled the room. Emily gathered her things and stole away with the child.
No police were involved; there was no evidence, and no one wanted to pursue the matter. The guilt lingered on Emilys conscience.
David, youre also at fault. How many times have I asked you to move out? Grandma was kind, she cared for you, and you youve driven her to her limit.
Im shocked, Mum Charlie isnt my son, and Grandmas gone
I walked out to work, deleted the vlog, and decided to clean up my life.
Alright, son, its time to grow up.
David eventually divorced Emily, contested paternity in court, and found a decent job that paid a respectable salary in pounds.
I watched as his life changed; he started listening to my advice and asking for guidance. He later married a sensible woman, the exact opposite of Emily.
Tom and I were relieved to see our son finally acting like a responsible adult. We hope no more dramas like this will ever shadow our family again.
**Lesson:** Ive learned that treating family members as props for fleeting fame or convenience only breeds bitterness. True respect for our elders and honest work are worth far more than any number of internet likes.