When I placed our grandmother’s jewels on my sister’s coffee table in front of all of her friends, she gave me a priceless look. Up until now, Sophia had always gotten away with anything. Sometimes the only language that entitled individuals can understand is public humiliation.
I never imagined having to write something of this nature. Families are meant to love and care for one another. However, there are instances when the people who can harm you the most are the ones closest to you. I had to learn the lesson the hard way.
A phone call was the first step in the process.
I was at home completing some work when I received a call from my grandmother, Carol.
“Joyce, dear… Are you aware of the whereabouts of my jewelry? Her voice trembled as she asked.
I scowled and put my laptop down. “Gramma, what do you mean?”
“My jewelry.” My wedding band. The pearls of my mother. On our anniversary, your grandfather gave me this bracelet. All of them are gone.
I felt my gut turn to knots. Grandma was not the kind to lose things easily. She stored her most valuable belongings in a large, antique wooden jewelry box.
Every Sunday, she simply opened it to view them.
It had nothing to do with their high cost. She simply took that action since each of those fragments evoked recollections of a life well lived.
And they were gone now? How could that have happened?
I grabbed my keys and murmured, “Don’t worry, Grandma.” “I’ll be over right away.”
She had the wooden jewelry box on the table and was seated on the couch when I got there. She opened the lid with trembling hands.
It was deserted. utterly devoid.
My chest constricted.
“Has anyone visited recently, Grandma?” I inquired. “Who had the ability to take them?”
After a moment of hesitation, she said, “Sophia was here yesterday.”
Naturally. Sophia.
She was the golden child, my younger sister, and the one who was constantly demanding more. She refused to acquire a job because she believed she should have a beautiful lifestyle without having to work for it, even though she was drowning in credit card debt.
I tightened my jaw. “What was it she said?”
She was behaving oddly, Grandma whispered. She insisted on trying on my jewelry. I didn’t give it much thought. However, now…
She trailed off, tears welling up in her eyes. One drip trickled down her cheek, a shimmering path on her grizzled skin.
That was it. I didn’t witness her crying. My grandma couldn’t be made to cry by anyone.
I gave her a strong hug and assured her, “I’ll take care of this.” “Don’t be concerned.”
Grandma gave a headshake. Joyce, I don’t want to start a fight. She is your sister.
I strongly stated, “She doesn’t have the right to steal from you just because she’s family.” “Believe me, I’ll handle it. I’ll see to it that she gives everything back!
Sophia was still living at my parents’ house, so I headed directly there. What was parked in the driveway, and did you guess it?
A brand-new convertible in brilliant crimson.
The level of anger I felt at that moment is beyond words. The parts suddenly came together with a frightening clarity.
Sophia was in the kitchen when I barged in. As though she didn’t give a damn, she stood there using her phone.
I made no attempt at subtlety. “Where is the jewelry that Grandma had?”
With her eyes firmly fixed on her phone’s screen, she questioned, “What are you talking about?”
“Don’t act foolish, Sophia. Her jewels. The pearls. The wristband. The wedding band. “Where are they?”
She scoffed and rolled her eyes. “Oh my God, please relax, Joyce. It’s not a huge concern.
Not a huge deal? I looked at her and thought.
She didn’t even have them on! They simply sat there, gathering dust! In the interim, I required a vehicle. Since this one was discounted, She grinned and flicked her hair. “I pawned them.” Easy.
“Really, Sophia? Are you aware of what you did? I inquired. “You took something from Grandma.”
Joyce, I didn’t steal them. I simply put them to new use. The majority of those items were no longer even worn by Grandma.
“So, you believed that selling them was the sensible course of action?” I inquired.
She gave an eye roll. “Oh, please. I need money, but Grandma doesn’t. This vehicle? It is more than an automobile. I’m investing in my future with it. You get respect when you drive a great car. It’s somewhat of an image issue.
I realized then that I couldn’t let this go.
Sophia was mistaken if she believed that Grandma was too helpless to resist and that she could get what she desired.
She was completely mistaken.
I didn’t speak to her again. Rather, I took out my phone and walked away.
She had no regrets. Not even by a small amount.
So I took a dramatic step. That same evening, I devised a plan and implemented it.
Step 1: Determine the location of the jewelry’s pawn.
This one was simple. When I realized Sophia would be gone, I returned to my parents’ house.
This was the ideal chance.
Since I knew Sophia wasn’t particularly careful with her receipts, I searched for some proof. She frequently left them laying around. Indeed, I discovered a crumpled one from a posh pawn store across town on the kitchen counter.
I thought that was precisely what I needed.
Step 2: Return the jewelry.
The following morning, I headed directly to the pawn store. Fortunately, the owner was a kind old man who agreed to let me buy back the pieces before they were put up for sale after I explained the circumstances.
As he pulled out the goods, he inquired empathetically, “Family trouble, huh?”
Seeing Grandma’s wedding ring sparkle under the display lights, I nodded, my throat constricted.
“It happens more often than you might imagine,” he remarked. “I always maintain accurate records because of this.”
Honestly, it wasn’t cheap to buy everything back.
However, I genuinely cared about our grandmother, unlike Sophia. In order to get the jewels back, I had to spend practically all of my funds.
And it was well worth the money to see each piece safely returned to me.
Step 3: Give Sophia some instruction.
The enjoyable part was this.
I waited a few days till she had one of her small parties and invited some of her friends. Then I appeared with a little box. Grandma had been grieving over the same jewelry box.
Sophia was taken aback by my presence.
“Joyce?” She spoke without thinking. “Why are you in this place?”
I gave a charming smile. “Oh, I just wanted to give you back something.”
“What are you discussing?”
When she and her friends were seated at the coffee table, I went inside and threw the entire jewelry box in front of them.
She was now looking at every ring, necklace, and bracelet she had taken.
I could tell by the expression on her face that she was shocked by what she saw.
“My goodness, how did you—” Realizing what was happening, she paused in the middle of her sentence. “How—”
“How did I retrieve them? Well, it’s only a small thing called taking care of our family. Crazy, huh?
Confused, her pals glanced between us.
I turned and smiled pleasantly at them. Were you all aware that she had stolen from her grandmother? For that convertible parked outside, you sold everything?
Her pals whispered to one another and gasped. Sophia, meantime, flushed red. She was unaware that her sister would so publicly humiliate her in front of her friends.
She growled, “You didn’t have to do this in front of everyone!”
I slammed my hand against the table and shouted, “Oh, but I did.” “You didn’t feel bad about robbing Grandma, but now that people know, it’s embarrassing? It’s funny how that operates.
Then, so that only she could hear me, I leaned in and slightly lowered my voice.
“You’re giving the automobile back. You got every dime back? Grandma will get it from you. What if you don’t? I cocked my head. “I’ll see to it that everyone is aware of your character.”
Her eyes darted about as she swallowed hard.
I meant it, and she knew it.
The very next day, Sophia gave the car back. She didn’t even get close to the amount she spent, but every cent? It immediately returned to Grandma.
Grandma, too? She pardoned her. because I am not as good a person as she is.
I once thought that family was about trust and affection without conditions. However, I learned from this experience that trust is something you have to earn rather than something you just have because you are related.
I discovered that unless they are made to confront the repercussions of their behavior, some people will never change. They seem to be waiting for someone to hold them accountable for their actions. And my sister is just that kind of person.
Perhaps Sophia means it when she says she’s sorry now. However, certain things cannot be reversed. I promise to be courteous and civil, but I will never again allow her to harm Grandma in that way.