Abby returned home from work to discover her five-month-old on the nursery room floor. He was never supposed to be alone in the first place, but there was no one else at home for a reason that angered her.
“Ok, time to go home,” Abby closed her last document and turned off her computer at work. Her day was insanely busy, and she worried the entire time because of her five-month-old baby, Connor.
Abby usually worked from home, which was perfect. But her boss asked her to come on a Friday and take a bunch of in-person meetings. It was hectic, but at least they were productive. She was done with everything by 7 p.m. and couldn’t wait to go home.
Her husband, Patrick, worked too, but he should’ve been home at around 5:30 p.m. to relieve their 13-year-old son, Theo, from babysitting duties. Like any other teenager, Theo had not been happy to spend his entire Friday taking care of his little brother, mainly because he was off from school due to a special event for teachers only. But Abby was not comfortable hiring babysitters for Connor just yet.
Furthermore, summer was almost there, and Theo would have plenty of time to play with his friends as soon as his vacation started.
Summers in their safe neighborhood in Fort Lauderdale were awesome. Abby would know. She grew up in the same area, which is also why she knew her boys would be safe alone at home. Theo was old enough to handle this responsibility and knew to call if anything happened.
“Where are you? You were supposed to be home earlier than 6, remember?” she asked, her voice trying to keep calm, but her anxiety had led to anger.
But still, she drove quickly home, excited to see her baby after such a long day away, and they would probably order some pizza for dinner. It was going to be a perfect night at home with her family.
“Hello!” Abby called, entering her home and settling her bag and keys on the table in the foyer. Surprisingly, no one called back. The living room and kitchen were empty, and there was no noise. That was utterly rare for a home with a teenager and a baby. Not to mention her husband, who liked listening to music all the time. “Patrick? Theo?”
She took off her shoes and left them near the front door to check on her husband in their bedroom. But she was stunned once again when it was empty. “Hello?” she called again and finally shrugged. Patrick had probably taken the kids out for a fun outing. He didn’t do that often without her, but this was a good bonding opportunity for them. She decided to call them to see what kind of pizzas they wanted for dinner.
Realizing she had left her phone in her bag, she exited their bedroom only to notice something out of the corner of her eye. “Connor!” she exclaimed as her heart started beating a mile a minute. Her baby was sleeping on the floor in the middle of the nursery, and Abby had no idea why.
“Connor, sweetie,” she continued breathlessly, picking him up and assessing the situation. Her five-month-old stirred gently, but he went back to sleep in her arms, unaware that Abby felt like she was dying inside.
Her baby was alone at home and on the floor. Anything could have happened to him. But then, another thought entered her mind. Where were Patrick and Theo? They were both supposed to be there. Her husband most certainly should’ve been there.
She placed Connor back in his crib, touched her hand to her chest to calm down, and went to her purse to call her husband. She expected it to ring many times with no answer and her anxiety started thinking of dangerous scenarios.
However, Patrick answered on the second ring. “Honey! Hello!” he said, his voice happy and obviously unaware. Abby could hear music and conversation in the background.
“Where are you? You were supposed to be home earlier than 6, remember?” she asked, her voice trying to keep calm, but her anxiety had led to anger.
“Oh, that’s right! I’m so sorry, sweetie. I forgot. The guys asked me to come for drinks,” he explained as if it was perfectly normal. “I’m on my way.”
“Excuse me? You went to the bar with your friends? Where is Theo?”
“What do you mean?” he wondered, confused.
“THEO ISN’T HERE!” Abby screamed into the phone, finally losing her temper. “AND CONNOR WAS ON THE FLOOR, SLEEPING. I DON’T KNOW HOW LONG HE WAS THERE! AND OUR OTHER SON IS GONE!”
“Abby, calm down. Calm down. I’ll rush home. I didn’t drink anything. Is Connor alright?” he inquired, his voice still relaxed.
“Connor is fine! But something could’ve happened, and I have no idea where Theo is, and again, CONNOR WAS ON THE FLOOR!” She tried to calm down but failed miserably as angry tears escaped her eyes.
“Call Theo. He probably went out with his friends,” Patrick suggested. “I’ll be there soon.”
He hung up, and Abby tried to wipe the moisture from her face. She dialed Theo’s number with trembling fingers, once again thinking the worst. But he also answered. “Hey, Mom. Are we ordering pizza?”
His nonchalant question made anger rise again in her chest, but she had to know where he was. “Where are you?”
“We went for ice cream,” Theo replied. Abby knew that “we” meant him and his neighbor friends.
“Did you leave your brother on the floor?” she questioned. Her words were slow and steady, not giving away anything.
“Oh sh… I mean, yeah,” he admitted, and his voice changed with concern. “Mom! I’m so sorry. I forgot about him. Is Connor alright? Please, I’m sorry!”
“Connor is fine. Come home now,” Abby uttered, calm at last. She hung up the phone and rested her whole body against the wall. Despite all the scenarios she had come up with, Patrick and Theo were fine. They were just a little careless.
She thought about yelling at them when they came home, but there was no use. Everyone was safe and sound. And she couldn’t go through another emotional rollercoaster after the last few minutes.
When Patrick returned, she reminded him he had two kids now, and his priorities had to be them. She also told him to call her before going to the bar again with his friends. He apologized for everything and promised that it would never happen again.
“We might need a babysitter next time,” she told him after hearing his apologies.
“You’re right,” Patrick agreed.
When Theo came home, she gave him a quiet lecture, reminding him that he had a big responsibility as a big brother.
“I’m not angry at you because everyone is fine, but something dangerous could’ve happened to Connor. And next time, please just text me before you leave the house,” Abby added, hugging her son.
Theo was crying into her chest. “I’m so sorry.”
“I know,” she assured him, patting his back. He was a good kid, and Patrick was a great father, even if they sometimes needed a little reminder of their responsibilities. Luckily, they had Abby, who would always be there for her two boys and her forgetful husband.
What can we learn from this story?
Sometimes, hiring a babysitter is the best option. Abby didn’t want to hire a babysitter, thinking her teenage son could handle the child, but sometimes, it’s necessary.
Teaching your kids about responsibility in a calm, patient way is vital. Abby had to lecture Theo about responsibility but remained calm despite her earlier anger. In fact, she also had to remind her husband, which is not her job. Sometimes, even adults need a wake-up call.
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This piece is inspired by stories from the everyday lives of our readers and written by a professional writer. Any resemblance to actual names or locations is purely coincidental. All images are for illustration purposes only.