When Derek approached me about his “cousin” Daisy and her son, Patrick, needing a temporary place to stay, I didn’t hesitate to offer our home. After all, family is family and I know how much I would have appreciated the same kind of help when I was struggling with student loan debt. It never crossed my mind to turn them away. Little did I know, those few weeks would come at a much greater cost than I could have ever imagined.
At first, Daisy seemed reserved and distant around me. I figured she was just shy. But when she was around Derek, her whole demeanor changed. She laughed at his jokes, had easy banter, and showed more warmth towards him than she ever did towards me. It made me uncomfortable, but I brushed it off thinking that she was just being friendly with family.
Meanwhile, Patrick went from being a seemingly sweet eight-year-old to an unruly hurricane. Sticky handprints covered the walls, toys were scattered everywhere, and crumbs seemed to multiply on the floor. Whenever I tried to set boundaries with him, he would snap at me, saying “You’re not my mother, I don’t have to listen to you!” It hurt, but I chalked it up to the upheaval he was going through. Then one day, he looked me in the eye and declared, “My mom said this is our home now.” That comment stuck with me like a painful splinter.