My widowed Mom spent two grueling weeks wallpapering a mansion alone. But to her horror, the entitled homeowners refused to pay and threatened her. Her tears made my blood boil, and those jerks had no idea what was coming next.
What would you do if someone made your mother cry? Not just a few tears, but the kind of crying that shakes her whole body and shatters your heart? I’m Kimberly, and my Mom, Ruby, is my everything. She’s incredibly strong, but when she breaks down, it feels like my world is ending. Recently, it happened, and I knew I had to act. Those jerks who hurt her? They were about to learn a lesson they’d never forget…
A sad woman with her eyes downcast | Source: Midjourney
My mom, Ruby, is 59. She raised me all on her own after my Dad passed away when I was little. She gave up her own dreams of college to work and make sure I had everything I needed. Even now, her belief in hard work is unwavering.
She wakes up before dawn to get to her beloved job and always puts me first, cutting corners for herself so I can have the best. I’m so grateful for her endless love and sacrifices… they’ve made me who I am today.
A handywoman at work | Source: Midjourney
Mom’s got this incredible talent for handiwork, especially wallpapering. Her installations are always perfect… I mean, you should see how precise her work is.
So when this loaded couple, the Bensons, hired her to wallpaper their massive mansion, it seemed like the opportunity of a lifetime.
Close-up of a mansion | Source: Unsplash
“Oh, Kimmy!” Mom had exclaimed when she got the gig. Her eyes were practically shining with excitement. “Just think of what we can do with that paycheck. We’ll go shopping, have a fancy dinner, catch a movie, maybe even see that play at the local theater for your birthday!”
I couldn’t help but grin at her enthusiasm. “That sounds amazing, Mom. You deserve this big break.”
For two weeks straight, Mom worked her fingers to the bone in that house. Every evening, she’d come home exhausted but hopeful.
Woman cleaning a wall | Source: Midjourney
“The Bensons seem nice enough,” she’d tell me over our microwaved dinners. “Mrs. Benson even complimented my work today. Said it was the best she’d ever seen. Oh, darling! I’m so happy and excited.”
I nodded, happy to see her proud of her work. “That’s great, Mom. I bet they’ll be thrilled when it’s all done.”
But on that final day, everything went to hell. Mom stumbled through our front door, her face streaked with tears and her hands shaking. I knew something was terribly wrong.
Close-up of an upset woman | Source: Midjourney
“Mom? What happened?” I asked, rushing to her side.
She looked at me, her eyes red and puffy. “They… they won’t pay me, Kimmy. Not a single cent.”
My jaw dropped. “What? Why not?”
“Kimmy, I don’t know what I’m going to do,” Mom sobbed, her shoulders heaving as she sat at our tiny kitchen table. “How could they do this to me?”
I wrapped my arms around her, feeling her pain deep in my chest. “It’s okay, Mom. We’ll figure this out. First, calm down and just tell me what happened.”
Side view of a distressed woman sitting on the couch | Source: Midjourney
Mom’s voice cracked as she recounted the conversation with the Bensons.
“I was supposed to be getting my paycheck today. Mrs. Benson just smirked at me and said, ‘We’re not paying you a single cent.’ When I asked why, she had the nerve to say, ‘We don’t like the pattern anymore. And your work isn’t as good as we expected. In fact, it’s awful. Get off our property before we throw you out.'”
I felt my blood begin to boil. “Are you kidding me? After two weeks of backbreaking work?”
A shocked young woman holding her face | Source: Freepik
Mom nodded, wiping her eyes. “I tried to argue, but they threatened to call the police and accuse me of trespassing if I didn’t leave right away.”
My fists clenched at my sides. “Those entitled jerks! They can’t just scam you out of your hard-earned money like that!”
Mom’s shoulders slumped. “I worked so hard, Kimmy. I put everything into that job. And now… now we can’t even celebrate your birthday like I promised.”
A heartbroken woman looking up with teary eyes | Source: Midjourney
Seeing my Mom so defeated lit a fire in me. She’d always taught me to stand up for what’s right, and it was time to put that lesson into action.
“Don’t worry, Mom. We’ll figure this out. I promise,” I said, my mind already racing with ideas.
As luck would have it, I remembered Mom telling me a few days ago she had overheard the Bensons mentioning they were going out of town for the weekend. It was the perfect opportunity for a little… payback.
An angry young woman sitting on the couch | Source: Freepik
I called up my best friends, Jake and Mia. “Guys, I need your help with something. It’s for my Mom.”
Jake’s voice came through the phone, concerned. “Everything okay, Kim?”
“Not really,” I replied. “But it will be. Can you guys come over? And bring any leftover wallpaper you might have lying around. Remember that wallpaper we all laughed at? The one with those crappy prints?”
Mia chimed in, “Wallpaper? What are you planning, Kim?”
I couldn’t help but grin. “Oh, just a little redecorating project. I’ll explain when you get here.”
A young woman sitting on the couch and talking on the phone | Source: Freepik
When they arrived, I laid out my plan. Jake’s eyes widened. “Kim, are you sure about this? It’s kinda… illegal.”
I nodded firmly. “They stole from my Mom. This is justice.”
Mia furrowed her brows, holding up a roll of truly hideous wallpaper. “Well, count me in. No one messes with Mama Ruby and gets away with it.”
A young curly-haired woman furrowing her brows | Source: Pexels
That night, armed with the ugliest wallpaper known to mankind and more glue than we probably needed, we snuck onto the Bensons’ property.
“Can you believe these people?” Jake whispered as he easily found the spare key under the welcome mat. “Who still hides a key here?”
I shrugged. “Rich people who think they’re untouchable, I guess.”
Close-up of a young man unlocking the door | Source: Pexels
Once inside, we got to work. The elegant, expensive wallpaper my Mom had so carefully hung was quickly covered by neon colors, clashing patterns, and even some obnoxious cartoon characters peppered with graffiti art.
Mia stifled a giggle as she hung a particularly awful section. “Oh man, this looks like a unicorn threw up in here.”
I stepped back to admire our handiwork. “It’s perfect. They wanted a new pattern? Well, they’ve got it now.”
Funny-looking cartoonish wallpaper plastered on living room wall | Source: Midjourney
Before we left, I made sure to leave a note exclusively for the entitled Bensons:
“Hope you love the new wallpaper! Free of cost! ;)”
Jake raised an eyebrow at me. “You’re evil, you know that?”
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