“I’m going to miss Granny,” Kevin whispered as he ran his fingers over the dark stain on Granny’s sofa. He’d spilled juice on the old furniture once, but Granny had been more concerned about refilling his drink than the damage he’d done.

“Why mourn for an old trout who left you this junk?” Dad shook his head and kicked the sofa, snapping Kevin out of his thoughts.

“This sofa isn’t junk. It’s Granny’s memory,” Kevin whispered…

Dad curled his lips in disgust. “Have you forgotten she ratted me out to Social Services and how she tried to hand you over to that other family?”

“Those people aren’t too bad, and they let me come here for a few days because of Granny’s funeral. I wish I didn’t need to go back…I want to live with you,” Kevin hung his head.

“Cheer up, kiddo!” Dad let out a small chuckle and ruffled Kevin’s hair. “We’ll figure it out!”

Kevin smiled and stepped closer to Dad to hug him, but the man had already turned away. Dad grabbed a drink from the fridge and sank into his armchair, watching TV on full blast.

Kevin knew Dad wasn’t affectionate like Mom, but it still hurt him. It was too much to bear—everything Kevin had been through—first losing Mom six months ago, and now Granny.

Kevin sighed as he sat on Granny’s sofa. Suddenly, he felt something—a pointy edge poking him in the back. He prodded the seat with his hand and gasped.

“There’s something inside!” he cried, but Dad was too engrossed in whatever he was watching to hear him.

Kevin turned away from Dad and lifted the sofa seat cushion, only to find a torn flap of material loosely sewn into place. He hurriedly fetched a scissor from the kitchen and cut the stitches.

There was a box inside with two words written on it in bold: “For Kevin.”

Kevin smiled as he recognized Granny’s handwriting. When he opened the box, he found a sealed envelope and folded pages of legal documents. Then he saw a letter written by Granny.

“Dearest Kevin,” it began. “I apologize for pressuring you while you’re so young, honey, but your future depends on you making a smart choice. Your father only returned for his inheritance.”

Kevin glanced at Dad, who was still engrossed in the TV, before he continued reading.

***

A few months ago…

“Linda? What are you doing here?” Jerry asked in a gruff voice as he opened his apartment door.

“I’m here to see Kevin. Where is he?” she asked, trying not to choke on the stale alcohol stench of his breath.

“Uh, well, dunno. What day is it today?”

“Tuesday!” She entered the apartment, horrified by the plastic container, unclean clothes, and empty glass bottles strewn across the floor.

“Have you been feeding him this?” she asked as she saw Jerry remove a microwaved dinner from the oven.

“Good old mac and cheese. Carbs and dairy. Good for growing and stuff,” he shrugged.

“What about Kevin’s toys? I don’t see them anywhere.”

“Uh, well, kids these days….You know, they’re more into electronic stuff.”

“Don’t you dare lie to me!” Linda exploded. “I’ve been sending money to you to make sure my grandson doesn’t miss out on anything, Jerry. He needs fruits and vegetables and unprocessed meat, not your microwaved junk! And I bet he’s no longer going to the soccer club I’m paying for ’cause you’re too lazy to take him there!”

Jerry rolled his eyes. “OK, just because you’re helping us out doesn’t mean you get to tell me what to do, Linda! I know how to raise my son!”

“Granny?”

Linda turned around, and Kevin rushed to her and hugged her. “Oh boy, you’re home late!” she said.

“Dad, you said yesterday you’d pick me up, but you never came,” Kevin looked at Dad.

“I meant tomorrow. Now, hurry to do your homework.”

Linda’s rage knew no bounds as Kevin left. “I know what’s going on here, Jerry,” She looked him in the eye. “Pull yourself together or be ready to face the consequences. I won’t sit idly by while you fall apart or let you drag my grandson down with you,” she warned him as she left.

Weeks passed. Linda was sitting in the lobby of the main building in her nursing home when she saw Nurse Denise and beckoned for her to come.

“You need help, Linda?” the woman asked as she approached.

“Darling, I need a big favor,” Linda said, and Denise sat in the chair beside her.

“I’ve been to the Social Services to get my son-in-law’s parental rights removed. He’s been neglecting my grandson, Denise. He only cares about the money he’ll get from the state and me. I know you’ve wanted to adopt for ages. Adopt my grandson,” Linda requested, placing her hand on Denise’s.

After Denise heard Linda out, she finally gathered herself to speak. “Oh my god, Linda. I don’t know…I’m so honored and nervous,” Denise gasped, “but I’d be delighted to welcome Kevin into the family, and I know my husband will feel the same way.”

“Bless you, dear. I’ll talk to my lawyer then,” Linda said in tears. “Oh, you lifted a heavy worry from my shoulders. Thank you. Thank you.”

“You don’t realize,” Denise swallowed the tears in her eyes, “you’ve given me the best gift ever: a child to love. I should be the one thanking you.”

***

“So, this will be your room, Kevin! Do you like it?”

Kevin looked around the room Denise and her husband, Miguel, had prepared for him while Linda tried to gauge Kevin’s reaction.

“It’s nice,” the little boy shrugged.

“Well, we can always change the decor if you don’t like it,” Miguel said, exchanging a worried glance with his wife.

“Let Kevin have some time to live in the room before making big decisions,” Linda said. Then she turned to Kevin. “I know it’s strange, dear, but give them a chance,” she whispered.

Kevin spun around and ran out the front door. He didn’t utter a word when Linda tried talking to him.

That evening, while making her bed, Linda was deeply troubled by how Kevin had reacted. But deep down, she knew Miguel and Denise would be far better parents than Jerry.

Suddenly, Linda’s phone rang, snapping her to the moment.

“Is everything OK, Denise?” Linda asked as she answered the call.

“No, Linda,” Denise sighed on the line. “I just went to check on Kevin and ask if he wanted a cookie, but he’s not here! I searched everywhere! I think he’s run away!”

“Good Lord,” Linda gasped. “I think I know where he’s gone, dear. Don’t worry. I’ll bring him back to you.”

Linda arrived on Jerry’s doorstep with Kevin’s caseworker, Mrs. Jamerson. Just as Linda had suspected, Kevin was in the apartment.

“Does it bug you to see all your clever plans come to nothing?” Jerry smirked, leaning on the kitchen counter, as Mrs. Jamerson took Kevin aside to speak to the boy. “No matter what you do, Linda, Kevin will keep running back home to his dad, where he belongs!”

Linda searched Jerry’s eyes for the emotions of a man struggling to cope with his wife’s death and of a caring father, but she only found greed there. Then she looked at his branded clothes, the new, big TV screen, and something under the TV—she squinted her eyes—a brand-new gaming console, and she knew Jerry only wanted money. He never cared about Kevin in the first place.

“I think I know how to convince you to do the right thing, Jerry,” Linda sighed and removed the checkbook from her purse. “$50,000, and you leave Kevin alone.”

Jerry scoffed. “C’mon, you can do better, Linda. Try $300,000, and we’ll see.”

“But I don’t have that kind of money!”

“Guess you don’t value your grandson as much as you pretend to,” he tsked. “I’ll see you next time he comes home running,” he added, sinking into his armchair.

Kevin emerged from the bedroom with Mrs. Jameson in tow. He tearfully said goodbye to Jerry, who patted him on the shoulder without even looking away from the TV.

***

“…so I had to do this, honey,” the letter continued, “to uncover your father’s true character. The legal papers in this box say that Jerry can get all my money with one condition: he should stay away from you. But Jerry doesn’t know the documents are fake.

“Give them to him. If he destroys them, then you know he values you more, but if he takes them to a lawyer…you have a safe, loving home with Denise and Miguel.”

Kevin returned Granny’s letter to the box and picked up the legal papers. Fear made his heart race as he looked across at where Dad sat watching TV. He didn’t want to believe Dad would turn his back on him, but doubts gnawed at the back of his mind.

”Hey, Dad!” Kevin crossed the room and held out the legal papers. “I found these inside Granny’s sofa. They’re for you.”

Dad muttered grumpily and snatched the papers from Kevin’s hand. The man started to grin as he read the agreement.

”I’m going out, Kevin.” When Dad leaped from his chair and strode to the door, Kevin’s fears were realized. But for a minute, he thought it might just be a coincidence that Dad left after reading those papers.

Kevin followed him for several blocks before Dad entered a fancy-looking building. It was a lawyer’s office.

Kevin angrily wiped away tears as he headed back to the apartment. Granny was right; Dad loved money more than him.

An hour later, Kevin walked up to Denise and Miguel’s front door and rang the bell.

”Kevin?” Denise frowned worriedly as she opened the door. “Is everything OK? We didn’t expect you to be back for another two days.”

Kevin sniffed. “Dad isn’t…I just, uh…”

“Hey,” Denise crouched down and put her hands on his shoulder. “It’s OK. I know you’ve been going through a tough time.”

Kevin smiled in tears as he looked up at Denise. He hadn’t felt loved like this since Mom died. In his heart, he thanked Granny for asking such loving people to look after him.

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