When my 16-year-old son volunteered to spend the summer helping care for his elderly grandmother, I was hopeful. It felt like a turning point for him—a chance to grow, to give back, to show maturity. But a late-night phone call changed everything.
“Please, come get me,” my mother whispered into the phone, her voice trembling. I’d never heard her sound afraid before. Before I could ask what was wrong, the call cut out.
My heart sank.
My son had always been spirited—strong-willed, independent, and, lately, increasingly rebellious. But I never imagined I’d hear fear in my mother’s voice because of him. When he first offered to help her over the summer, I was touched. He said he wanted to spend time with her and that it might save us some money by reducing caregiver hours.
I should have asked more questions. Instead, I gave him the benefit of the doubt.
As I drove to her rural home that evening, doubt began to creep in. He’d answered my recent calls with brief updates, saying she was resting or tired. The more I thought about it, the more uneasy I felt.
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