— Hello, Natalie, you can’t come; I’m feeling ill.

Hey love, pick up the phone, its me. Im feeling awful, cant make it out of the house. Dave and Emily left little Kieran with me and went off to a mates place, and I cant get a hold of them.
Again? What on earth is going on? Ill be over in a flash, mum.

Half an hour later I was at my mums flat in Eastbourne.

My blood pressures through the roof, I cant settle it. My head feels like its about to explode.
Do you want me to call an ambulance?

No, thanks. I just need to lie down. And Kieran wont stop bouncing around, climbing on everything. Hes still a baby, doesnt understand a thing

I shifted the grandson into the spare bedroom.

Here they go again, leaving a sick old nan to look after a toddler. No sense of decency. Mums getting on in years, its hard enough for her to sit with a child, and theyve got no responsibilities. All they think about is nights out and a few pints.

About an hour later Dave and Emily stumbled back in, looking a shade too merry.

Dave, grans feeling poorly and youre not answering my calls. Why did you leave Kieran with her again?

Mum, shes just putting on a show. Shes as fit as a fiddle, really!

Dont you dare say that! Youre both completely heartless. Not only have you moved in here, youre also dumping the burden onto an elderly woman!

And youre not buying us a flat, so where are we supposed to live?

How about you both get a job? Kieran could go to nursery; theyll take him from two years old. Then you could earn some money!

Were already working, Emily runs a vlog with me. Once we hit the big break, the money will pour in. Weve already invested in ads, the payoffs just around the corner!

Thats nonsense! There are more vloggers than fleas on a dog. We cant even afford a place with your dads help, you know. You shouldve thought about that before starting a family.

Im not to blame that Emily rushed into marriage! It just happened!

Im not to blame? Im the one who did it. What about you? Emily chimed in, her voice already slurred.

Stop it! I told you to watch your step Youre the one at fault.

Im not listening to your drunken fantasies, Im out. And dont insult gran!

I peeked in on mum, who was finally asleep. The pill must have worked.

Dont shout, grans sleeping. Im off now

The next day, after the news that Emilys plans had fallen apart, we had to scramble a tiny weddingjust close family. The younger couple didnt want to move into a rented flat, so they begged to stay with Granny May.

Gran, youve got two spare rooms, thatll be enough for us. Emily will help with cleaning, cooking, and shopping.

Will you look after your own beloved grandson? Well get on our feet, buy a place, and move out. It wont be long.

Darling, Im used to living alone. You lot are noisy, youll be blasting music, having guests over, and now a baby on the wayno peace at all. Ive got high blood pressure, you know.

Itll be fine, dont worry. Youll have a great-grandchild to dote on.

By then Dave and Emily had already moved into my mums house. They kept asking us not to say anything because they knew Id be against it.

Love, calm down. Theyll stay a while then move on. They wont be living on the streets.

You made a mistake agreeing to this. Dave should have found work instead of leeching off us. Theyll live on state childcare, and Emilys parents will keep sending money.

Dave dropped out of his studies, has no trade, and was rejected by the army because of his asthma. Hes now spiralling.

I never refused to look after Kieran, but when they started bringing him over every day, I lost patience.

Youre parents, you should spend time with your child. All you do is chase friends, film silly videos. Bring Kieran over once or twice a week; Ive got my own life.

So they began leaving the boy with Granny May. It was hard for her, but Dave kept promising it wouldnt happen again.

Nat, did you hear? Your mums become an internet star now.

I looked at him, puzzled.

What do you mean? She doesnt even use the internet.

Dave asks her all sorts of daft questions, she answers seriously, and then they mock her online.

The comments were going wild people outraged that youngsters were making a joke of a grandma. She didnt even know they were filming behind her back.

I was livid. This had crossed the line.

I stormed out of the kitchen and dialed my son.

Hey, love, why are you filming gran and posting it? Have you lost your mind?

Its a trend now, Mum! She just answers simple questions, theres nothing wrong with that. Whats the problem?

Emily whispered, Weve got thousands of likes on her videos.

Dont know and dont want to know! All the videos with her are out! Its cruel, cant you see?

Its not cruel. She helps us boost the channel, well earn fast and move out.

Fix your own mess! Youre humiliating gran in front of the whole world. Delete those videos or youll end up on the streets.

Thanks for the support, Mum I wont delete them. Our blogs gone topten because of those clips, advertisers are lining up. Stay out of it!

He hung up. I screamed at the top of my lungs, You absolute monster!

Later that evening I told my husband. He was furious too how could they treat a grandma like a prop? He never answered his phone.

Nat, lets go, Ill talk to him.

Dave was home, Emily was out with the baby, and Granny May was resting.

Whats all this shouting about? Were fine, ignore the jealous lot. Everyones making a living however they can.

Not by filming gran behind her back! Delete the video right now! I yelled.

Its not serious, Mum! Im an adult, you cant tell me what to do.

Adult? Then move out and live in your own flat! Stop leeching off a pensioner. Is that shameful?

She offered to help. Besides, gran isnt immortal when shes gone the flat will be mine. Why stay in rentals? Just wait.

Her arrogance stunned both of us.

The flat will be mine, Im her daughter! After the way youve acted, Ill think a hundred times before handing it over.

First prove you can support a family on your own. And delete those videos, please!

By God! Well go, but you wont see the grandson. Were leaving tomorrow!

The next morning Dave never left. Granny May stepped in.

Nat, this is my flat, I didnt kick anyone out. Let them stay Ive got used to the noise. Its not my problem if you bring a child here.

I watched the footage Dave had sent; there was nothing indecent. Fine, keep filming if it makes you money

She was amazed at his calm.

Mum, look, youll have to live with them. Im worried about your peace.

Dave, as usual, showed no remorse. Dont complain then.

Two weeks later Granny May suddenly fell ill. An ambulance was called, but they couldnt do much.

Hello, Mum? Granny Mays gone The ambulance couldnt help; her heart gave out.

How? Just like that? She was fine yesterday, no complaints. Were coming with Dad.

I was devastated, didnt even get a chance to say goodbye.

At the funeral Dave cried, and I honestly felt a pang of sorrow he did love his gran, even if he was a pain.

Mum Gran transferred the flat to my name. She signed the deed just before she passed. You should know. I didnt pressure her, she chose it herself.

I was stunned, stayed silent. What now? That was her wish.

A few days after the funeral, the woman whod been staying at my mums came in to collect some of her things for the neighbours. The door was ajar, she slipped inside. From the bedroom, Emilys voice drifted out.

What I heard made my blood run cold.

Marion, Ive had enough of this old bat! Shes always nagging, telling Kieran not to make a mess. I just want my own flat, normal life.

We cant afford a mortgage, the vlog brings in peanuts, Dave tried to get a job but no one wants a bloke with asthma.

She was sick, we never gave her the right meds, told her we were busy, gave her the wrong pills. We only called an ambulance when she started choking. She screamed that night.

And we signed that deed for Dave, I played the victim, she melted.

Dave thought shed fabricated it all. Thats all youve got? Im not even his father, Kierans not mine!

Your dad, Vadim, left me, I started seeing you right after. So youre not the father, but youll get the flat anyway.

Ill be out of here, not staying a second longer.

Dave lunged at her, fists raised, but I held him back. Shocked, he fled the room. Emily snatched her bag and left with the baby.

They didnt go to the police no evidence, nobody would pursue it. The guilt would stay with Emily.

Dave, youre part of this too. I told you to move out countless times. Gran was kind, you all ruined her.

Im in shock, Nat. Kieran isnt mine, Grans gone

I quit my job, deleted the vlog. All this nonsense, time to change things.

Alright, son, its time to grow up.

Dave eventually split from Emily, fought a paternity case, got a decent job and started earning.

I watched him turn his life around, asking for advice, actually listening.

Soon he married a lovely girl, the polar opposite of Emily.

Dave and I were relieved to see our son finally behaving like an adult. We hoped it would be the last of such dramas.