At My Grandma’s Funeral, I Saw My Mom Hide Something in the Coffin—What I Found Shocked Me

I identified the exquisite “C” needlework in the corner. Years ago, I saw Grandma sew it while she related stories about her early years. “What secrets are you holding, Mom?” I muttered, gently untying the aged thread. At the scene that followed, my stomach turned over.

Inside were letters, hundreds of them, each carrying the name of Grandma in her unique handwriting. The paper was yellowed at the margins; some crumpled from regular handling.The first letter came from three years past. The paper was neat, like it had been read many times:

‘Victoria,

I know what you did.

Did you suppose I would not find the missing money? I would not check my accounts? Month after month, I saw minute quantities vanish. I convinced myself initially that there must be some error. That my own daughter would not pilfer from me. But we both know the truth; do we not?

You have to give up gambling. You are undermining this family and yourself. You keep lying to my face while consuming more, even though I have attempted to assist you comprehend. Remember last Christmas when you said you would have changed? When you pledged to get assistance and started to cry? Two weeks later another $5,000 vanished.

I’m not writing to humiliate you here. Writing is helping me since seeing you spiral like this hurts.

Victoria, kindly. Let me assist you… sincerely assist you this time.

Mom’s hands trembled as I went over letter after letter. Every one of them exposed more of the tale I had never heard, creating a picture of treachery that made my tummy flip over.