When Olivia notices a change in her stepson’s behavior, she grows increasingly worried. She asks her husband, Patrick, to talk to him, but he gets nothing out of the boy. By chance, Olivia overhears a conversation between Josh and his biological mother, and soon everything is revealed, leaving Olivia shocked and heartsore for the little boy.
I could tell from her voice that she wasn’t giving Josh a choice. She wanted what she wanted.
A rush of emotions hit me all at once, but most of all, I felt this crushing weight for Josh.
My sweet boy who had been carrying this burden all by himself. It wasn’t a wonder that he had been so out of it lately. Without thinking, I got up and marched to the front door.
A woman with folded arms | Source: Midjourney
“Linda, hello,” I said coldly.
“Hi, Liv,” Josh said, reaching out to hug me.
Linda gave me a curt look without saying anything.
“I heard all of that,” I said.
Josh me a bit tighter, and I could feel his breathing get heavy.
“What’s going on, Linda?” I asked. “Tell me, or I’ll call Patrick right now. Josh, would you please go to your room for a bit, love?”
A frowning woman | Source: Midjourney
At the threat of Patrick finding out the truth, Linda spilled her story quickly. She went on about being in debt and falling behind on rent. And that she was struggling to make ends meet, let alone look after herself and Josh. She was desperate and frustrated.
“I’ll give you the money to get you back on your feet,” I said. “But Josh will remain here until you do. And you will not ask that boy for anything else. Do you understand?”
“He’s my son, Olivia,” she said coldly.
A frustrated woman sitting on a couch | Source: Midjourney
“Yes, your son that you’re teaching to steal from his family. I’ll press charges if you don’t drop this. Take the money and get back to being able to care for Josh. Understand?”
Linda nodded slowly, realizing that the implications would be much worse than her pride.
“Thank you,” she said almost sheepishly.
“I’ll transfer the funds to you tonight,” I said. “Send me a breakdown of what you need.”
She nodded and walked away.
A woman walking down a driveway | Source: Midjourney
As I opened the front door, ready to get my phone and figure out how I was going to keep this from Patrick, Josh enveloped me.
“Thank you,” he said, tears streaming down his face. “I didn’t want to steal! I’m so sorry!”
“Oh, sweet boy,” I said. “It’s all going to be okay. I’m going to help Linda, and we’re going to fix this in a way that’s better for everyone. I promise.”
A mother and son duo hugging | Source: Midjourney
What would you have done?
If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you:
I Noticed That Money Was Disappearing from Our Family Stash — I Was Shocked When I Found Out Who Was Taking It
Judy and her family get into the habit of saving money in a “family stash jar,” which is used for emergencies or family outings. But soon, she starts noticing that someone in the family has sticky fingers, helping themselves to the money. Judy has to figure out who it is and what is the reason for such dishonesty.
I’m sure that it’s the same for most families. But in our family, honesty is the foundation of everything. I’ve always trusted my husband, Ethan, my 24-year-old son, Josh, and my 17-year-old daughter, Emma, implicitly.
A smiling older couple | Source: Midjourney
So, when money started disappearing from our family stash, it felt like a punch to the gut. We’d always kept a communal jar of cash for emergencies or spontaneous outings, but lately, large sums had been vanishing without explanation.
“I must be losing my mind,” I said out loud to myself when I noticed that the jar looked a little different from when I had last put in some money.
A jar of money on a counter | Source: Midjourney
At first, I thought that it was a simple miscalculation. But as the missing amounts grew from a $50 here, $100 there, and eventually $300 in one go, I couldn’t ignore it anymore.
“Who has sticky hands?” I asked the empty kitchen.
It gnawed at me, the uncertainty and suspicion creeping into my thoughts. I hated feeling this way about my family.
An empty kitchen | Source: Midjourney
“Are you sure that it’s someone from the house?” my best friend, Misha, asked me when we met for cheesecake and wine.
A cheesecake on a plate | Source: Midjourney
Read the full story here.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publishe.
