A dad gets worried about his stepdaughter crying every day before getting on her school bus, so he bursts into it one day to figure out what’s happening. The reason behind it enrages him, and he immediately takes action against the bus driver.
Candace was still in her mother Lily’s womb when her father abandoned them, claiming he had nothing to do with them. After that, Candace had Lily as her only companion, but things changed when Lily met Derek.
Derek fell in love with Lily and Candace and embraced them. He became a devoted husband and father and loved Candance so much that nobody believed he was the little girl’s stepfather and not her biological dad.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
Both Lily and Derek were working parents, so they sent Candace to school by bus every day. Lily left for work early as her office was a little far from their house, and it was Derek’s duty to drop Candace off at her bus stop before heading to work.
One day, Derek was dropping off Candace at her bus stop and noticed she seemed upset. “Honey, are you all right?” he inquired, concerned. “Would you like to discuss something with Daddy?”
Candace remained silent, but her eyes welled up. Derek noticed that and wondered what was wrong. “If there’s anything that’s bothering you, honey,” he continued, “remember that daddy is always here to listen, okay?”
Candace nodded lightly then grabbed her backpack and alighted the bus as it arrived. Derek hoped she would be alright, but she wasn’t.
“Justin!” Derek exclaimed emphatically. “What were you trying to prove by yelling at Candace? For Christ’s sake, she’s a child!”
With time, Derek noticed Candace would cry every day, reluctant to take the bus to school and insisting on driving her. He told Lily about it, but all she said was: “You know how much she loves you, Derek! It’s because she wants your attention all the time! Kids do such things sometimes to get their parents’ attention!”
Believing Lily was right, Derek didn’t give it much thought and sometimes gave into Candace’s request and dropped her off at school. But doing so every day was impossible because he’d have to be in his office on time, and Candace’s school was in the opposite direction of his workplace.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
One morning, Candace began crying again, not wanting to take the bus to school. Derek was really late for a meeting, and he yelled at Candace. “Stop being so fussy, Candace! There are a lot of kids who take that bus every day, but you’re the only one who causes problems!”
Candace lowered her head, sniffing, but her tears didn’t stop. She boarded the bus as soon as it arrived, and Derek felt a pang of guilt now that he had cooled down and understood he shouldn’t have been so angry with her.
“Oh, God! Why did I have to be so mad? I’ll apologize to her when she gets home,” he mumbled as he started walking towards his car. But the bus driver’s words stopped him in his tracks.
“You go and sit at the back, you little girl! I don’t want to see your face! And yeah, you better follow my orders or get the hell out of my bus!” he yelled.
Candace pleaded with him, teary-eyed, that she had motion sickness and needed to sit in the front, but the bus driver wouldn’t budge. “You do what I say, or you’re out!” he yelled.
Derek turned around and saw the bus gate was about to close. He stormed into the bus before the door closed and froze in place when he saw the driver’s face. He would never fail to recognize him.
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
He composed himself and forced a smile on his face. “I’m sorry for the trouble, sir,” he told the bus driver. “I just thought I’d drop my daughter off at school myself, so I’m here to pick her up…Come on, honey,” he told Candace. “Let’s go!”
Derek scooped Candance in his arms and got off the bus. Then he dropped a text to his boss, saying he wouldn’t be able to make it to the meeting due to an emergency, and dropped Candace off at school.
After Candace entered the campus, Derek spotted the bus she was supposed to be taking and confronted the bus driver. The children on the bus had already left for their classes by then.
“Justin!” Derek exclaimed emphatically. “What were you trying to prove by yelling at Candace? For Christ’s sake, she’s a child! I didn’t want to cause a ruckus in front of the kids, but this has to stop!”
Justin laughed. “Yo, stepdaddy, why don’t you just drop her off at school on your own if you’re worried about her? I’m tired of seeing her nasty face every day! I was right to leave her and Lily! I wish she had never been born! She’s been getting on my nerves since I started working here!”
“And who the hell do you think you are to yell at her?”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
“Why shouldn’t I?” Justin retorted. “She and her mother are such evil omens! After I dated that stupid Lily, my business began to suffer losses! As if that wasn’t enough, she wanted to impose her child on me! I’m here today because of them, so I will continue ridiculing that child and exacting my revenge! Do you get that?”
“You’re impossible, Justin! Are you even human?” Derek was furious and went straight to the school principal to complain about Justin. Luckily, he’d recorded the whole conversation on his phone and submitted it as proof.
He told the principal that Justin was Candace’s biological father and that he was practically tormenting her, blaming his failed career on her and her mother.
It turns out Justin had only been hired a few weeks ago. His business had gone bankrupt, and he struggled to get a job elsewhere.
“Don’t worry, Mr. Miles,” the principal assured Derek. “I appreciate you bringing this to our attention. We do not tolerate such behavior in our school, and you can be assured that we will take firm measures against him…”
For illustration purposes only | Source: Pexels
To Derek and Candace’s relief, Justin was fired from his job, and Candace was no longer terrified to take the bus to school. When Derek shared the whole incident with Lily, she was stunned, feeling horrible for dismissing Candace’s behavior as something childish.
“You have to inform me whenever something is wrong, Candace,” Justin explained one day as they walked to the bus stop. “Daddy is always here for you, so never keep anything from me, okay?”
As they arrived at the bus stop and Candace was about to board the bus, she turned around and smiled at Derek. “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you, daddy. I was just scared … Thank you, and I love you,” she added as she waved goodbye.
Derek waved back at her and whispered an “I love you” to her. Candace sat in one of the seats in the front and happily went to school. She had no idea Justin was her biological father, but Derek and Lily decided to tell her when she is old enough to comprehend everything.
What can we learn from this story?
- Parents love their children and protect them from the bad. Although Candace wasn’t Derek’s blood, he loved her like his own and went above and beyond for her. He was a parent in the real sense. Justin, on the other hand, clearly didn’t deserve to be a parent, although he was Candace’s birth father.
- Children are innocent and pure souls and shouldn’t be dragged into conflicts. Derek was crazy for blaming Candace for his failed job and bullying her. Karma eventually caught up with him, and he was fired.
Our Youngest Granddaughter Accused Us of Choosing a ‘Disgusting’ Hotel as a Gift for Her Honeymoon — Our Lesson to Her Was Priceless
When Connie and Jim’s granddaughter, Mae, just got married, they decided to contribute to her honeymoon. But when they reveal their choice of hotel, Mae responds with entitlement, saying that they ruined everything for her. Instead of retaliating, the couple decides to teach her a lesson.
I’ve always been the doting grandmother. It was something that I looked forward to after having my children. I didn’t think that I’d share my story here, but this was too outrageous to keep to myself. This is how my husband, Jim, and I taught our youngest granddaughter a lesson she won’t soon forget.
An elderly couple at the beach | Source: Pexels
Our youngest granddaughter, Mae, is getting married. She’s always been a bit of a princess, expecting the best of everything.
“I’m high maintenance, Gran,” she would tell me, often while painting her nails or doing something of the sort.
A woman painting her nails | Source: Pexels
But because she’s the youngest, Jim and I got to spend the most time with her after we began slowing down with our jobs. So, when her boyfriend, Nathan, proposed, we were cautiously optimistic.
“I don’t think she’s rushing into it,” Jim told me as we sat down to breakfast one morning. “But I just wish that she would wait a little longer, you know, give us time to get involved in the wedding.”
A breakfast setting on a wooden table | Source: Pexels
Jim loved Mae. And despite us having so many other grandchildren, she was definitely his favorite. He would move mountains for her just because she asked.
So, when her wedding rolled around, we were more than happy to oblige when she came to us asking if we could help pay for her honeymoon.
A grandfather and his granddaughter | Source: Pexels
We wanted to give her a memorable gift, and this was the best way we could contribute, knowing that she would love it. And more than that, it would be a lovely way for her to start her new life with Nathan.
“We’ll do what we can,” I told her when she picked me up so that we could go to her final dress fitting together.
A woman driving a car | Source: Pexels
“But really, Gran,” she said enthusiastically. “It’s going to be great! And the fact that you and Grandad are doing it for me, that’s going to make it a lot more special.”
We got into the store and I watched my granddaughter change into her gown.
She looked absolutely stunning. I couldn’t believe that our youngest granddaughter was about to embark on one of the greatest adventures of her life.
A woman in her wedding gown | Source: Midjourney
Afterward, Mae came home with me.
“I’m going off all carbs from next week, Gran,” she said. “But I’d kill for your fried chicken and mashed potatoes.”
“Coming right up, honey,” I said.
Fried chicken on a tray | Source: Unsplash
As she made herself at home, I began to make my way around the kitchen. When Jim got in, Mae pulled out her phone and began scrolling.
“I’ve had some ideas about the honeymoon,” she said, showing us her phone.
“Right!” Jim exclaimed. “Show us what you have in mind.”
A woman holding a phone | Source: Unsplash
Of course, knowing our granddaughter, it was going to be something lavish.
Mae showed us a luxurious resort in the Caribbean. The place was stunning but incredibly expensive.
“I’m sorry, honey,” Jim told her while I tossed the chicken in the hot oil. “But we just don’t have that kind of money.”
A person eating fried chicken | Source: Pexels
Mae pouted, her eyes wide.
“But don’t fret!” Jim said quickly. “We’ll sort something out.”
I knew that even though Jim wanted to give Mae everything, there was no way that we could get Mae and Nathan to the Caribbean. But he just wouldn’t want to disappoint her.
A wooden deck over water | Source: Pexels
Mae left our home after eating with us, the topic of the honeymoon long forgotten as I did the dishes.
“We can’t afford it, Connie,” Jim told me as he poured himself another glass of juice.
“Then, we have to be open and honest with Mae,” I said. “She knows that we can’t spend a ridiculous amount of money just for her honeymoon. It’s not going to work.”
A person pouring juice | Source: Pexels
“But I can’t disappoint her,” Jim said solemnly. “So, I’m going to look for something with the same aesthetic.”
My husband sat with his laptop for hours. Two cups of tea and hundreds of hotels later, we finally found one that had excellent reviews and was within our budget.
An elderly man using a laptop | Source: Pexels
We booked it and surprised Mae with the news over the phone.
“It’s all sorted! Your honeymoon is all booked and ready to go!” Jim said.
“That’s great, Grandad,” she said. “Send me the links and I’ll look at it in the morning.”
An elderly man on the phone | Source: Pexels
I thought that she seemed grateful, but that didn’t last very long.
The next morning, as I was stirring oatmeal, Mae came over in a rage, her tone dripping with entitlement.
“Grandma, Grandpa,” she said. “I looked up the hotel you booked for Nathan and I. It’s just a joke, right?”
A bowl of oatmeal | Source: Unsplash
Jim and I looked at each other, he frowned slightly.
Mae, on the other hand, continued to speak through the silence.
“This place is a dump compared to what I showed you. Why would you choose such a disgusting hotel? Are you really trying to ruin my honeymoon?”
An elderly man covering his mouth | Source: Pexels
I was completely taken aback by Mae. Yes, she was spoiled. But she hadn’t been raised like this at all.
We had spent a lot of time finding a nice place and spent a significant amount of money on the hotel. I explained that we thought it was a beautiful hotel and that it had great reviews.
“Well, I guess it’s fine if you don’t care about making my honeymoon special. Thanks for nothing.”
An elderly woman covering her face | Source: Pexels
I was furious. I felt a sense of disappointment that I had never felt before. We all knew that Mae behaved a certain way, but I was so sure that she would have changed her ways silently.
She was on the threshold of becoming a wife.
“I don’t think she meant it,” Jim said, trying to make up for Mae’s attitude.
A close-up of a woman | Source: Pexels
“Stop, Jim,” I said. “Stop trying to make Mae seem like someone she’s not. We need to teach her a lesson.”
It took my husband some convincing, but he eventually gave in when he realized that he couldn’t change anything about Mae.
We started by calling the hotel and canceling the reservation completely. Then we moved on to the next phase of our plan.
An elderly woman on the phone | Source: Pexels
“It’s an upgrade, darling,” I said to Mae on the phone while Jim made us some hot chocolate one evening, a week before the wedding.
“It’s going to be better than the hotel we showed you!”
“Thanks, Gran!” Mae said.
Two mugs of hot chocolate | Source: Unsplash
She said she was thrilled and couldn’t stop gushing about how grateful she was that Jim and I had finally changed the honeymoon plans for her.
On the day of the wedding, Jim handed her the envelope with the details. Inside, we included fake reservation documents for an extravagant resort that didn’t actually exist.
A white envelope on a table | Source: Midjourney
Thanks to an editing site on the internet, the documents looked professional and real. We also included a note that said:
Enjoy your dream honeymoon, Mae.
Love, Gran and Grandad.
A person using a laptop | Source: Unsplash
The rest of their reception went well, with Mae and Nathan dancing along to three songs.
“Three, because we couldn’t decide on just one for the first dance,” Mae explained after.
Eventually, the cake was cut and the evening began to wind down with the bridal car ready and parked at the entrance of the venue.
A couple cutting their wedding cake | Source: Unsplash
Nathan and Mae got in, not knowing that when they got to their honeymoon destination a few hours away, there wouldn’t be a reservation.
On cue, Mae called us later, fuming.
“What did you do? There is no reservation! Just a motel that looks like it needs to be fumigated! We’re stranded. How could you do this to me?”
An angry bride | Source: Unsplash
“Oh, darling,” I said. “It looks like maybe there was a mix-up. Maybe you should have appreciated the original gift.”
She was livid, but there was nothing she could do. They had to scramble for a room at the motel, and it wasn’t anything near the luxury she had expected.
They returned two days later, after Nathan had convinced her to make the most of their trip. Mae was still fuming, but we knew that she had learned a valuable lesson about gratitude and entitlement.
A rundown seaside motel | Source: Midjourney
She came over and asked me to bake her some cookies while we had a long conversation about her behavior.
“I’m sorry, Gran,” she said. “I know that I’m a lot, and I didn’t mean to be ungrateful. It was a humbling experience.”
Sometimes the best way to teach someone a lesson is with a bit of creative revenge.
Cookies on a plate | Source: Unsplash
What would you have done?
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