I’d believed my son trusted me, even after losing his father changed our family forever. But when I discovered he’d been lying about his weekends for two months, I feared the worst. I went searching for answers, never imagining his secret would expose something I’d refused to face for years.
“When is my son coming home? He’s been staying at your place for weeks!”
I nearly dropped my coffee.
“Denise, what are you talking about? Nathan’s been at your house since yesterday!”
“Laura, I haven’t seen your son in weeks.”
I looked at the clock.
“When is my son coming home?”
It was almost nine on Saturday night.
“But he stays with Cole every weekend!”
“And Cole tells me he’s staying with Nathan. It’s the same story every week.”
Denise was the mother of my sixteen-year-old son’s best friend.
Our boys had been inseparable since kindergarten.
“It’s the same story every week.”
For two months, Nathan had kissed my cheek every Friday, grabbed his backpack, and told me he’d be staying with Cole.
“Denise, when did you last see Nathan?”
“Early August, I think. What about Cole?”
“Same.”
Eight weekends of lies, from early August to late September.
I called Nathan while Denise stayed on my landline.
“Same.”
Straight to voicemail.
Again.
Nothing.
“Cole’s not answering either!” Denise cried.
I opened Nathan’s last text.
“Mom, Cole and I ordered pizza. Don’t wait up. Love you.”
“Cole’s not answering either!”
I typed a reply.
“Nathan, I know you’re not at Cole’s. Call me now.”
Delivered.
Not read.
“Laura, what if something happened to them?”
“Come over,” I said. “We’re finding them tonight.”
What happened next changed everything… FULL STORY on the next page.
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