The finality hit me when I turned to leave.
Dad was truly gone. I tightened my grip on the box as if holding onto it could somehow keep him with me. When I reached my car, silent tears were slipping down my cheeks.
I sat in the car and cried until my tears ran out. My phone beeped and rang several times, but it was just Matt. He was probably worried about me, but some grief you have to wade through alone.
The last thing I expected to find when I arrived home was my whole life strewn across the front lawn like some kind of unholy estate sale.
The wind picked up, scattering the memories I’d so carefully packed into boxes and hauled down from the attic.
Mom’s old recipes, her china, the worn plaid quilt Dad used to nap under, and all his books — it all lay out in the open, unprotected, as if they meant nothing. I stumbled out of my car, heart pounding.
“What in God’s name…” I muttered, my voice swallowed by the wind.
“Oh, good. You’re finally back. I was getting tired of waiting.”
There, perched on my patio furniture with her designer sunglasses and her too-bright lipstick, was Jessica. My daughter-in-law didn’t even glance up from her phone. She took a leisurely sip from her coffee, and her lips curved in a barely restrained smirk.
“Jessica… What is all this?” My eyes swept over the chaos, disbelief clamping down on my chest. “What are you doing?”
She glanced up, lowering her sunglasses just enough for me to see the disdain in her eyes. She waved a manicured hand dismissively.
“I’m doing what’s necessary. This is my home now, after all.”
A cold knot twisted in my stomach. “Your home? What are you talking about?”
“Looks like you should’ve attended the will reading.” Jessica held up a crisp piece of paper, and there was my father’s signature, clear as day, at the bottom. “Guess your dad knew who deserved it most, huh?”
I swayed, gripping the car door for support. “That’s impossible. Dad would never—”
“Oh, but he did.” She smirked, casually inspecting her perfect manicure.
“Signed, sealed, delivered. The house is mine now.” She leaned in close, her perfume, a cloying, artificial scent, invading my space. “I think it’s time you moved on, Hattie.”
A truck rumbled into the driveway, and my son, Matt, climbed out, his face twisting as he took in the scene. His boots crunched over the gravel as he approached, confusion deepening the crease between his brows.
“What the heck, Jess? First you run out of the lawyer’s office, and now you send me this weird text? What’s going on?” he asked, glancing from me to Jessica, his jaw tight.
She stretched, standing at last, looking smug and at ease in her towering heels. It made my skin crawl. “Like I said, I’m making some necessary changes, honey. And actually, there’s more you should know.”
Matt’s expression hardened with a flash of something I hadn’t seen before. “More than you throwing my mother’s belongings all over the yard?”
“Much more!” Jessica’s laugh was harsh. “I want a divorce.”
The word hung in the air like the final nail in a coffin. Matt’s mouth opened, then closed as he struggled to process. “What? You can’t be serious.”
“Oh, I am.” Her voice was dripping with disdain. “I’ve spent enough years suffocating in this house, being made to feel like I don’t fit in, like I’m not good enough!” She gestured at the house with a sweep of her arm. “I need a fresh start.”
“You have no right—” I started, but she cut me off with a scornful wave.
“Oh, save it, Hattie. You never wanted me in this family. You looked down on me right from the start, judging me just because I didn’t grow up with a silver spoon. Well, now I’m finally getting what I deserve out of you people.”
Matt’s face shifted from bewilderment to anger, his fists clenched. “Everything my family said about you is true,” he said, voice low and trembling. “You really are a covetous witch.”
Jessica’s veneer cracked.
“And you’re a spineless mama’s boy!” she snapped. “Always running to her defense, always putting her first.” She sneered, pointing a perfectly manicured finger at him. “It’s pathetic. You’re just as small-minded as she is.”
“Don’t you dare talk about my son that way!” My voice cut through the silence, sharper than I’d intended.
“I’ll do whatever I want, Hattie.” Jessica set her hands on her hips, her expression smug. “And there’s nothing either of you can do about it.”
“In fact,” Jessica continued. “The two of you had best hurry and clear your stuff off MY lawn, before I call the cops and have them arrest you both.”
“Are you out of your mind?” Matt yelled.
I numbly looked on as Matt confronted Jessica. None of this made sense! Dad hadn’t even liked Jessica! My hands shook as I pulled out my phone and quickly dialed Dad’s lawyer.
His voice was a balm, calm and reassuring. “Hattie? I was just about to call you.”
“… really believed I liked you?” Jessica yelled in the background. “You were just a means to an end, a way for me to leave my old neighborhood behind. Now I have the house, I don’t need you anymore!”
“Please,” I whispered to the lawyer. “Tell me she’s lying. There’s no way Dad left his home to Jessica.”
There was a pause, then a warm chuckle.
“You’re right. Your father didn’t leave her the house. It was all a test to get her to show her true colors.”
“A…test?” Relief rushed through me, and I started laughing, tears gathering in my eyes. It was the kind of laugh that came from somewhere deep, a laugh that surprised even me.
Jessica’s face twisted, her confidence faltering. “What are you laughing at?”
“Oh, Jessica,” I managed, still shaking. “You really should have waited for the real will reading.”
“What?”
I let the satisfaction roll through me as I explained. “Dad never left you the house. It was fake — a test to get you to show your true character.”
Matt turned to Jessica, his face a storm of emotions. “Looks like Grandpa’s plan worked.”
Jessica’s eyes widened. She glanced between Matt and me as the realization of what she’d done sunk in. Her confident facade crumbled, her voice turning desperate as she scrambled to save face.
“Matt — baby, please.” She reached out, but he recoiled, the finality in his eyes unmistakable.
“I swear, I never meant it!” She pleaded. “I was just…upset, frustrated. You know I love you!”
He shook his head. “Save it. You want a divorce? You’ve got one.”
As Jessica stomped off the property, her heels sinking with each step, I felt an odd peace settle over me. Dad’s wisdom lived on, a quiet, guiding presence.
Matt and I gathered the remnants of my life from the grass, and I couldn’t help thinking that sometimes the real inheritance isn’t in a house — it’s in the lessons of who truly deserves to be in your life.
Dad would have been proud.
Kelly Clarkson Admits To ‘Not Being Above Spanking’ Her Children If They Disobey Her
The happy mother of River Rose, 8, and Remy, 6, Kelly Clarkson, spoke candidly about her thoughts on spanking as a form of child discipline in a radio interview. The topic of parenting styles has been increasingly controversial in recent times due to their diversity and growth.
Being a well-known figure in the entertainment industry, Clarkson recently received recognition for her work with a star on the prestigious Hollywood Walk of Fame. She hasn’t held back when discussing her choice to add slapping to her repertoire of parenting techniques.
She constantly offered evidence to back up her beliefs, pointing to her upbringing and cultural influences.
Support and skepticism have been generated by Clarkson’s statement that she is “not above spanking” her kids in a culture where parenting ideologies are as varied as they are fervent.
“I don’t mean striking her,” she clarified, clarifying that her goal is to employ physical punishment in a regulated way rather than to harm someone. She went on, “I just mean a little spanking.”
However, there are many who disagree with spanking. A reputable organization for child health, the American Academy of Pediatrics, has categorically stated that spanking is counterproductive and may even be detrimental to a child’s health.
Parents continue to choose the conventional method of punishment, despite the fact that the organization’s stance is supported by extensive research and professional consensus.
Kelly Clarkson’s upbringing in the culturally diverse and diversified state of Texas is the reason behind her support for spanking. “We get spankings because I’m from the South, y’all,” she said, highlighting the regional and cultural impacts on her views.
“My parents spanked me, I did fine in life, and I feel fine about it,” she said candidly about her upbringing. She feels that this tactic helped to develop her well-rounded personality and that it was effective in imparting values and character.
However, when examining and critiquing her parenting style, Clarkson recognizes the challenges of reprimanding her kids in public. “It’s challenging to do that in public because people might think it’s inappropriate,” she clarified.
She is adamant that spanking is a valid form of discipline, even in the face of potential criticism. She said, “I believe in spanking, so you might see me spanking my kid at the zoo.”
A warning component is incorporated into Clarkson’s approach to strike a balance between communication and discipline. “Hello, if you don’t stop right now, I’m going to spank you on your bottom,” I said. She said, “This is ridiculous,” emphasizing the significance of candid communication throughout the procedure.
She says that the frequency of undesirable behavior has decreased as a result of this strategy.
The debate surrounding Kelly Clarkson’s method of child discipline is a reflection of broader conversations around human autonomy and different parenting styles. While some could concur with her, others might advocate for different approaches that emphasize non-physical tactics.
Respecting parental choices while taking into account the development and well-being of their children is essential in a community that values candid communication and experience sharing.
Essentially, Kelly Clarkson’s candid admission of her views on spanking has led to a complex discussion that represents the diversity of contemporary parenting ideologies.
Our views on what makes for good parenting change along with society, and different points of view have a place in this lively dialogue to coexist and add to our collective parenting knowledge.
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