Every time, I refused firmly, leaving no room for negotiation.
Seeing my unyielding stance, she had no choice but to drop the subject.
The land from the demolition had been left to me by my father.
When I was younger and just starting to work, I didn't have much money, so I built a small house on the land and fenced in the yard.
A few years later, after saving up some money, my husband and I bought a commercial apartment and moved out.
The property sat abandoned for many years, and back then, I never thought it would turn out to be so valuable.
The day before I was supposed to leave for my trip, I got a call from my daughter Gracie Payne.
On the phone, she told me she was pregnant.
This news brought a bit of sunshine to my otherwise gloomy mood.
But I also knew right away that my travel plans were ruined.
Gracie said she could not stomach her mother-in-law's cooking. In the early stages of her pregnancy, she had been dealing with constant nausea and cravings. She insisted I come over to take care of her for a while.
So, I had to cancel my plans with my best friend, pack my things, and head over to Gracie's place to take care of her.