Rosie had been caring for her dying grandmother without expecting anything in return, but she was upset when the lawyer read the older lady’s will. Rosie’s brother received a Victorian house, whereas Aurelia left her a garden gnome. Rosie had no idea what Aurelia’s clever plan was at the time. “A guardian angel. That’s exactly what you are, honey. You are correct. I wish I could have lived a few more years to see your children grow up. But here’s the thing, Rosie: all of your selflessness will come back to you, darling…

It will, indeed “Aurelia’s final words. As she stood outside their family crypt, Rosie closed her eyes and let those memories sink in, the breeze ruffling her hair. Aurelia’s death had been a difficult day for her. When her brother stormed in, she was sitting in Aurelia’s hospital room, holding her hands. “Why aren’t you answering my phone calls, Rose?” he demanded. He always referred to her as Rose.

“Shh… Zach!” she yelled angrily. “Gran is fast asleep! Have some courtesy.” “I’m just waiting for her to finally fall asleep. Have you inquired about the family heirlooms? Look, I told you I needed assistance with my business.” “Those things can wait, Zach,” Rosie said as she gently removed her hands from Aurelia’s. “Can’t you tell she’s ill? Get out of here!” Zach was escorted outside by Rosie, who told him to stop bothering her.

“Don’t forget she took care of us after mom and dad died,” Rosie pointed out. “Stop worrying about yourself, Zach!” “Well, she’s going to die anyway!” Zach muttered. “At the very least, question her on the goddamn will!” “NO!” exclaimed Rosie emphatically. “Gran will not exclude you from whatever it is; you know that. We’ll find out when the time comes.” But it didn’t come at the right time.

Rosie was shocked to learn that Aurelia had only left her a garden gnome, while Zach inherited her Victorian home, when she and Zach met with Aurelia’s lawyer days after her death. Rosie thought it was ridiculous. Gran, did you really do this? “Wow!” Zach’s words cut into Rosie’s thoughts. “After all, the old lady wasn’t so bad. She left me her house, and I’m hoping to find the jewels there, but look at you, Rose… did all that hard work pay off?” “Stop your nonsense, Zach,” Rosie replied.

“I don’t mind. I’m doing well at work and can look after myself. Anyway, I wasn’t watching out for Gran because I needed something from her. Okay, I genuinely cared about her.” “Yes, but isn’t it heartbreaking for you? A garden gnome for the thoughtful granddaughter? I mean, seriously? What did she have in mind when she made the will?” I’m not sure, Rosie thought. I’m not sure why she did this.

“But,” she said, rising to her feet. “Gran’s decision is acceptable to me. Zach, best of luck with the house. I’m sure selling it will benefit your company… Gran appears to have cared for you, despite the fact that you never cared for her…” And Rosie walked out of the lawyer’s office, pretending not to notice what Aurelia had done. But she was hurt at home that night. She sighed as she stared at the gnome, wondering why Aurelia had left her with that.

“What were you thinking, Gran?” she questioned. “What’s with the garden gnome?” Rosie wiped it down and placed it on her living room table. When she thought of Aurelia, tears welled up in her eyes. “I miss you, Gran,” she admitted to herself. “I truly believe it. You were my only option…” Rosie decided to keep the gnome on her bedside table, next to her alarm clock, so she could feel Aurelia’s presence.

Unfortunately, when her alarm clock began to ring the next morning, she reached out to turn it off, knocking the gnome off the table. Jesus! I shattered it! Rosie jumped up as it broke into pieces, and before she could cry and feel bad about what she had done, she noticed a key wrapped in paper had fallen onto the floor. She knelt to pick up the key and read the note, which contained what appeared to be coordinates and a small message that said, “When the sun begins to set, a ray of light will guide you there.

Maybe my stories will help?” What exactly does this mean? Forget it! Oh no, I shattered the only thing Gran had left me! Rosie was sinking into her bed, frustrated with herself, when she had an epiphany. Wait! Gran used to tell me stories… Those geology books! Rosie entered the coordinates into Google, and it directed her to their family crypt. Aurelia loved Geography and would tell Rosie stories about places she’d visited while they studied maps together.

Aurelia and Rosie kept the maps and stories to themselves like a personal secret. Zach had always been a social child, but Rosie was not. So Aurelia would sit her down and tell her stories about beautiful places and her childhood. But what do these sun rays mean? I’m curious what Gran’s plan is behind all of this. Rosie changed her clothes, ate a quick breakfast, and drove to their family crypt.

She stayed there all day, waiting for the sun to set and it to get dark. She noticed a sliver of light across the family crypt at that moment. She followed it and nearly fainted when she came across an old chest filled with Victorian jewels (a family heirloom) deep inside the crypt behind the Holy Cross. Gran could not have done this! Rosie’s cheeks flushed as she read another note she discovered in the chest.

“Many thanks to a friend who assisted me in arranging this for you, Rosie. Here’s another story, similar to the others we’ve told. This is the last place I’ll ever be, and I hope you tell your grandchildren the story of how these jewels came to you from my grandmother and her grandmother. I know I won’t live to see your children, but I’d appreciate it if you could leave the maps and our stories to them.

Even after God calls me home, I will always love you and Zach. But I saw greed in his eyes, which bothered me, so I had to leave the jewels in this state. He’ll be surprised when he visits the old house in my hometown. A grandmother knows her adorable grandchildren like the back of her hand. With regards, Aurelia Grandis.” Rosie cried for hours after discovering the chest, but she cried even more when she discovered she was pregnant with her boyfriend’s child a week later.

It was as if Aurelia had bestowed upon her so much happiness that she would never be sad again. Rosie married her boyfriend six months later, had a family with him, and has been living a happy life since. The chest is still with her, in her basement, and she has decided to pass it down to her grandchildren, just as Aurelia had requested.

Meanwhile, Zach was disappointed when he arrived at Aurelia’s hometown’s old house. He didn’t have the money to repair the house’s old roof and walls, so it was just a pile of rubble with a half-built barn behind it. Aurelia made sure her grandchildren got what they deserved. While the grandchildren questioned their grandmother, she devised an ingenious plan!