Boy Declines Grandpa’s Invite Every Christmas, He Arrives Years Later and Finds a Ruined House

Every Christmas, a child refuses his grandfather’s offer, but is interested when it unexpectedly ends one year. He decides to pay him a visit to find out what occurred, only to find his grandfather disappeared and the house in disarray.

“One plate, two plates, three plates, and, last but not least, four plates! Perfect!” Gregory, 85, pondered as he set the dinner table and made his way to the kitchen.

Gregory was looking forward to seeing his son’s family, especially his grandson Aaron, after the Christmas preparations.

Gregory had prepared the typical turkey, sweet potatoes with a light brown sugar glaze, and a last piece of pumpkin pie with a scoop of ice cream, just the way Aaron liked it.

The fireplace was blazing with wood Gregory had cut last week from a tree in his backyard, so the wonderful fragrance remained.

Gregory sat down at the table, a bottle of wine in hand, and poured himself a glass, hoping Aaron wouldn’t decline his invitation this year. Aaron hadn’t paid him a visit in almost two decades.

Every Christmas, Gregory would write him a letter asking him and his parents to visit him, but it never occurred. He never gave up hope, though, and every year he cooked a Christmas feast for Aaron and his parents, hoping they would visit one day.

Gregory looked back to the times when Aaron and his parents, Brandon and Linda, would spend the holidays with him every year while he sipped a sip or two of his aged beverage.

He imagined Aaron praising him: “Grandpa, you’re amazing! You’re the finest cook I’ve ever met! Even Mom wouldn’t be able to cook such a delectable pie!”

“Dad, I agree! You are an incredible chef! Linda, on the other hand, is a lousy chef! She’s the finest at her job, but in the kitchen…oh, no!” Bradon used to make fun of his wife.

Linda’s face would be flushed like a cherry everytime Brandon recalled her cuisine, he imagined. She was well aware that no miracle would aid her in preparing a nice supper in the kitchen.

Gregory’s thoughts were abruptly interrupted as the doorbell rang. He pinched himself and wiped his eyes to see if he was dreaming. The clock had hit seven o’clock, and his doorbell had rung at that hour on Christmas Eve for the first time in 20 years.

Gregory ran to the door, thinking it was Aaron, to open it. However, as soon as he answered it and saw the figure standing on his porch, he was enveloped in darkness and dropped to the ground. He did hear a voice attempting to rouse him up, but he lacked the power to do so and slipped into a deep slumber.

It was 20 years ago…

Aaron was 6 years old at the time, and he and his parents resided in the little Pennsylvania town of Doylestown. Gregory was a good friend of his, and he and his parents used to visit him every year at Christmas.

Gregory worked on a tiny farm and couldn’t afford to buy Aaron extravagant gifts, but the little kid never expected much from him and enjoyed all of his gifts. But as Gregory grew older, their wonderful grandson-grandpa bond shifted.

Aaron’s parents attributed their reduced Christmas visits on their hectic workload, which finally came to an end. Aaron claimed he had other things to do as a teenager.

Gregory visited them for Christmas one year because he couldn’t resist the temptation to see them, and he overheard Aaron chatting to his parents. “Mom!” Aaron sobbed. “Grandpa is here for a reason. Isn’t he responsible for a farm?”

“He’s your grandfather, Aaron. Stop referring to him in this manner. You used to admire him, after all! When did that begin to shift?” He was questioned by Linda.

“Mom, don’t be so hard on yourself! Take a peek at Grandpa’s appearance and attire. He’s a complete and total humiliation! Please return him to his home!” Aaron became enraged.

Gregory listened in on everything and wept his way to sleep that night. He packed his bags and returned to Virginia the next day, promising never to humiliate himself in Pennsylvania again.

However, after being lonely every Christmas and being unable to travel due to old age, he began sending Aaron invitations in the hopes that he would come to visit him. Aaron never answered, and when he did, he wrote him a note stating that he was busy and would not be able to go.

Gregory passed out six months after he passed out….

Gregory cautiously opened his eyes and examined his surroundings. He was surrounded by a peculiar quiet and a cold.

He was startled to see a nurse enter the room, her eyes wide with delight and wonder. “Doctor! Mr. Oliver has risen from his slumber! He became aware of his surroundings!” She screamed as she stormed out of the room.

A doctor soon entered the room and examined Gregory’s eyes and veins. “Mr. Oliver, it’s a wonder you’ve woken up.

We’re relieved to hear you’re doing well today.”

Gregory gently rose to his feet and said softly, “Doctor, when may I go home? It’s possible that my grandchild has come to see me. For him, I cooked a meal. I made all of his favorite foods for him! I need to get out of here.”

With a sigh, the doctor grasped Gregory’s hand in his. “Mr. Oliver, you’ve been in the hospital for six months. You’ve had a stroke. We were unable to contact your family, but your grandson has arrived and is ready to see you.”

“What?” Gregory’s pupils dilated. “Is Aaron here?”

“Mr. Oliver, yes. I’m going to phone him right now.”

Aaron froze as soon as he walked into Gregory’s room. His grandson, who had been a happy, chubby kid, had grown into a 6 foot tall, dashing young man, dressed to the nines and wearing immaculately polished shoes. He was accompanied by a woman, the same one Gregory had seen 6 months ago on his doorway dressed in a pink flowery dress.

“Grandpa, please accept my apologies!” Aaron held him and sobbed uncontrollably. Cynthia, the woman, comforted him and smiled at Gregory. “Mr. Oliver, we’re delighted you’re doing well. Aaron was very concerned about your well-being!”

Aaron and Gregory stayed alone for a time after the emotional reunion that day, and the youngster told him the complete tale.

Gregory’s new neighbors, Cynthia and her husband, had arrived to ask him to Christmas dinner the night before he passed out. They realized he was alone and had no guests over the holidays, so they intended to offer an invitation to him, but Gregory fainted unexpectedly. Worried, the couple took him to the hospital, where he remained for six months.

When Aaron didn’t receive a Christmas invitation from Gregory that year, he was concerned. He travelled to Virginia to check on his grandpa for the first time in 20 years, but it was a few months after Gregory was taken to the hospital.

Aaron was browsing through all of his mail when he saw that his grandfather’s invitation had gone missing. He waited a long time for the letter to arrive, but months passed without it. Aaron, on the other hand, had been so consumed with his everyday routine that he had completely forgotten about it. He stumbled discovered the letters again while cleaning his room one day, and it dawned on him that Gregory’s letter was still missing.

Gregory did, in fact, send out his letter of invitation, but there was an issue with the town post office, and the letter never reached him. But it was already too late.

Aaron had arrived in Virginia. When he got at Gregory’s house, he saw it in shambles, with rotting hardwood flooring, a somewhat dusty tablecloth piled high with Christmas food, and, most shockingly, the front door was unlocked and his grandfather was nowhere to be seen.

He searched throughout the house, but all he found was dirt and spider webs in most of the corners, as well as an old photo frame of himself from his youth. Aaron’s eyes welled up as he went door to door enquiring about his grandfather, but he didn’t learn anything until the next day, when Cynthia’s husband Lewis found him sleeping on the stairwell in front of Gregory’s house and told him everything.

When Gregory was in the hospital, Aaron visited him every week like a responsible grandson, and when he couldn’t, Cynthia and her husband assisted him in caring for him. Gregory regained consciousness in the hospital, which was fortunate. When Aaron saw his grandfather that day, his joy knew no boundaries.

“Grandpa, I’m sorry I didn’t pay you a visit! I’ve been a lousy grandson, to say the least “As he brushed his grandfather’s tears away, Aaron said. “In some ways, it’s a good thing your invitation didn’t reach me; otherwise, I wouldn’t have recognized how nasty I’d been all these years ignoring you! I really wanted to visit you, but I kept putting it off, promising myself that I’d do it next time.”

“Aaron, it’s all right. I’m overjoyed that you came to see me. Will you be enjoying Christmas with me this year?”

“Grandpa, I’ll do my best! I’ll join you in all of the celebrations. You’re also not staying in the previous house any more!

You’ll stay with me, and that’s the end of it!”

Gregory greeted Aaron with a grin and an embrace, praising God for bringing him back together with his grandson.

When Gregory was discharged, he travelled back to Pennsylvania with Aaron and spent every Christmas with him until last year, when he went to his heavenly home.

Every year, Aaron takes his kid to Gregory’s grave, carrying a bouquet of Gregory’s favorite flowers and telling him stories about his great grandfather. Gregory, the grandson of his great-grandfather, likes listening to the stories.

“I’m going to be like great-grandpa Gregory. One day, I’ll be a nice grandfather, “He regularly says things that make people laugh and cry because of his innocence.