My daughter dropped off my grandson with a big bag and rushed to catch her flight. At first, nothing seemed unusual, but when I opened the bag, I found clothes for all seasons, most of his toys, and his medications. It didn’t feel like she was planning to return soon. I tried calling her many times, but she never answered. For weeks, I cried, confused and worried, until one day, I finally got a video call.
That day, I wasn’t expecting anyone when the doorbell rang. To my surprise, it was my daughter, Jane, and my grandson, Tommy.
“Mom, I need a favor,” she said. “Can you take care of Tommy for a few weeks? Maybe longer.”
When I noticed her carrying a large suitcase, I knew something serious was happening.
Jane wasn’t someone who usually asked for help, so this felt unusual. But I didn’t question her. Instead, I gave her a hug and made her promise to stay safe.
She looked worried, but when she said it was for a work mission, I chose to trust her.
My grandson was full of energy—lovable, curious, and easy to entertain. I didn’t mind having him stay with me for a few weeks.
We played games, read stories, and enjoyed his favorite meals. At one point, he spilled juice all over his shirt, so I went upstairs to get a clean one from the suitcase Jane had left.
When I opened the suitcase, my heart started racing. Inside, there were clothes for all seasons—jackets and gloves on top, and shorts and flip-flops underneath. At the bottom, I found an envelope with my name on it. It was filled with cash, more money than I had ever seen in my life.
This could only mean one thing: Jane wasn’t planning to come back anytime soon, maybe not at all.
I tried calling her, but I couldn’t get through.
As the days passed, my grandson began asking where his mom was.
I reached out to her coworkers, friends, and even her old roommate, but no one had heard from Jane. It was like she had disappeared.
Then, one day, my phone rang. It was my daughter asking to talk to my grandson. She didn’t answer any of my questions, just told me to trust her and that she would come back. I asked her to promise she would return safely. After she spoke to Tommy, she hung up. When I tried to call her back, she didn’t answer.
Jane’s story…
Whenever people asked about my son’s father, I would say he was just a fling that didn’t last. But the truth was much darker.
Tommy’s father was a dangerous man, involved with the mafia and other criminals. When I dated him, I had no idea how dangerous he really was. After we broke up, I never told him I was pregnant. I hadn’t heard from him until one day, he called to say he was back in town.
The thought of him finding out about Tommy was terrifying. I knew he would want to take him from me, so I had to hide him.
That’s why I packed up all of Tommy’s things and even got rid of every photo of him from my house, in case Alex showed up unexpectedly.
The only person I trusted to keep Tommy safe was his grandma.
I just prayed Alex would leave town quickly, so I could be with my son again.
When my daughter came back to take my grandson, she looked completely drained. It seemed like she had aged in just a few months. I didn’t ask her about anything, I was just happy she came back safe.