Did I ever tell you about the time Sandra was kidnapped?
I’ve probably blocked it out.
It was the first year she came to live with me so I was
understandably stressed and overwhelmed. I remember dropping her off with no
issue and then I went to pick her up at 3pm and the teacher said “oh, someone
already picked her up. I think it was your sister.”
I was livid. How could her school be so negligent that they
let a child go off with anyone they think
might be a relative? That teacher has no idea how close she came to seeing her
organs on the outside that day. She died a few years later for unrelated
reasons but that day, I could not see straight let alone kill. I couldn’t focus
on anything else. I kept calling her phone but it went straight to voicemail
and I filled up her inbox with texts but nothing came of it. I almost had James
put out an amber alert and I was dialing my sister in prison when I got a call from
the parent of Sandra’s friend Clara.
Apparently the girls were having a sleepover and Sandra
forgot to tell me. Then her phone died and she still didn’t think to call me. I couldn’t sleep for the rest of the
night. I let her have her sleepover and
then when she got home the next day, I sat her down in the kitchen. I think
that was the first time I’d ever yelled at her. It wouldn’t be the last time
but that was a very pivotal moment for me and Sandra.
I will never forget those few hours when I thought someone
was going to hurt my child. It was one of the worst days.
Oh how times have changed.
I’m telling you this story because I want to remind you to
be careful. School is back in session and you can’t always be there for them. I
have done a lot of horrible things in my life – few of which I regret – but I
have never harmed a child. There are people out there who will.
Remember that there are people worse than me in the world.
Keep your children safe this school year.
As always, dear readers,
Stay Safe
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