“For Years, My Son and Daughter-in-Law Barely Spoke to Me. But Suddenly, They Became Loving and Caring, Even Insisting on Moving Into My House. I Was Happy, but Their Sudden Change Made Me Suspicious. Then One Morning, I Saw My Daughter-in-Law Putting Something Into My Glass of Water. I Pretended Not to Notice and Took the Glass to a Laboratory. When the Results Came Back, the Doctor Looked at Me With a Terrified Expression and Said, ‘Ma’am, You Need to Hear This…’ What He Told Me Made My Blood Run Cold…”

Rebecca looked at Daniel.

He nodded slowly.

“She was asking how much longer until I found a job. We were running out of the little money we had left. I was afraid you’d notice we weren’t contributing to the household expenses.”

“And my savings?”

Daniel hesitated.

“I thought about asking you for a loan to repay what we owed. That’s why I kept asking questions. But I never touched your accounts, Mom.”

I looked directly at him.

“Were you ever going to tell me the truth?”

He stared at the table.

“I kept telling myself I’d explain everything once I found work.”

“Three months, Daniel. You let me believe you had finally come home because you loved me.”

His eyes filled with tears.

“Mom, I do love you.”

“Then why did you forget me when your life was going well?”

He opened his mouth, but no words came.