I faced the man, fury boiling inside me. ‘What were you thinking? That’s dangerous!’
He shrugged, still smiling. ‘Kids put things in their mouths. No harm done.’
‘No harm done?’ I fumed. ‘Do you even know what could’ve happened?’
His smile faded, and he backed off. ‘I was just trying to help. No need to get upset.’
I didn’t care about his excuses. All that mattered was Tommy’s safety. Grabbing my things, I rushed out, not caring about the laundry.
On the drive home, Tommy’s soft cries echoed in the car as guilt gnawed at me. How could I have let my guard down and trusted a stranger with my grandson?
Once home, I held Tommy close, my mind swirling with fear. I immediately called the doctor, tears in my eyes as I explained what had happened. After a series of questions, Dr. Thompson assured me we were lucky.
‘Just keep an eye on him,’ he said. ‘If he shows any unusual symptoms, bring him to the hospital right away.’
Relief flooded over me, but the ‘what ifs’ haunted my thoughts. Exhausted, I watched Tommy sleep, his peaceful face a reminder of how close we came to disaster.
‘I’m so sorry, sweetheart,’ I whispered, kissing his forehead. ‘I promise to do better.’
From that moment on, I vowed never to let pride or convenience put Tommy at risk again. It would be just us from now on, navigating this world together.
The rest of the weekend was filled with hyper-awareness. Every sound, every little movement, kept me on edge.
By the time Sarah and Mike returned, I was utterly drained, both physically and emotionally.
‘Mom, are you okay?’ Sarah asked, noticing my frazzled appearance.
I forced a smile and handed Tommy back to her. ‘We had a great time.’
As I watched them drive away, the relief that Tommy was safe washed over me, but the incident at the laundromat would stay with me for a long time.
I glanced at the still-unwashed clothes and picked up the phone.
‘Hello, I’d like to order a new washing machine. ASAP.’
Sometimes, life’s toughest lessons come with high stakes. But for my grandson’s safety, I’d pay any price. After all, that’s what being a grandmother is all about—unconditional love, protection, and learning from every experience, no matter how hard it may be.