07/30/2025
I live next door to my son, Tom, his wife, Lila, and my grandson, Max, 4. I gave them $40k from my savings to help buy the place when Lila was pregnant. "So Max can grow up close to you," they said. One day, Max gave me one of his toy walkie-talkies. "So we can talk before bed through the wall, Granny." I clipped it to my apron and smiled. Little did I know that this tiny toy would expose something I was never meant to hear. I still work nights as a dishwasher to get by. My son and DIL asked me to help pay for Max's daycare. Said it was $800/month. I've been wiring them that amount every single month. Then last week, after a shift, I sat down… and heard static. The walkie-talkie. I thought Max was playing. Until I heard Lila: "She's barely home. WE SHOULD RENT OUT HER SPARE ROOM AND GET THE MONEY." Then my son, Tom: "And once she pays for Max's swim lessons, we can finally go on vacation." Lila: "Yeah, I hope she'll never find out that the daycare's only $500. And that WE POCKET $300 every month." Then they started laughing. I went cold. They'd been stealing from me. But I didn't explode. A few days later was my birthday. They came smiling, with cake. Pretending we are a loving family. So I stood up, raised my glass, and started my "toast." ⬇️
