When my daughter suddenly decided to leave my grandson for a while, it seemed strange to me. What I later discovered in the child’s bag made my heart race with worry. Will my daughter ever come back for her son? And is she even alive? Read on to find out more!
Jane’s appearance that Saturday was unexpected, but not unusual. My daughter has always been spontaneous. This time she appeared at my door with Tommy in her arms, her face lit up with a tired smile that only a mother could recognise. But something wasn’t right.
Jane didn’t have her usual cheerfulness about her, and the little wrinkles of worry around her eyes seemed deeper, more pronounced.
‘Mother, I need a favour,’ she said as soon as she entered the house and sat Tommy down. He immediately ran off into the living room where his favourite toys were waiting for him, completely oblivious to the tension in the air.
‘Sure, honey. What do you need?’ I asked, trying to catch her eye. But my daughter had already headed into the hallway, where she’d left a large blue suitcase.
‘I’ve got some last-minute work stuff going on,’ she said, her voice a little too bright. ‘I need you to look after Tommy for about a fortnight. Maybe a little longer.’
I frowned, something unsettling stirring in my gut. But I was always happy to spend time with my grandson, so I didn’t object. I adored him: he was a ball of energy, always curious and asked questions that made me laugh!
Still, I worried about my daughter. ‘How long, Jane? And what kind of work trip is this?’
‘It’s just…a new project. You know how it is. I’ll be back before you know it,’ she replied, still avoiding my gaze.
Her hands were frantically clutching the strap of her purse, a sure sign that she was nervous, though she would never admit it.
‘Jane,’ I said, trying to break through the wall she’d erected. ‘Is everything okay? You look exhausted. If you need to talk, I’m here.’
She finally met my gaze, and for a split second I saw something raw and scared flicker across her face before she hid it under a forced smile. ‘I’m fine, really. Just tired. Nothing to worry about.’
But I was worried. My daughter wasn’t the type to ask for help lightly, and this request felt the weight of something unspoken. Nevertheless, I nodded, pulling her to me and hugging her. ‘Okay. But promise me you’ll call me if you need anything.’
She hugged me back, but it was brief, almost rushed. ‘I will, Mum. Thanks.’
And with that she was gone, hurrying to her plane and leaving Tommy behind.
Fortunately, Tommy was easily distracted. We spent the day playing games, reading stories and eating his favourite snacks. I pushed away the gnawing feelings of anxiety and focused on keeping him happy. After all, Jane had promised he’d be back soon.
There was no reason to think otherwise. It wasn’t until later that evening, after my grandson had spilled juice on himself during dinner, that I went to my suitcase to get him some fresh clothes. What I found shocked me and alarmed me even more!
I opened it expecting to find the usual: pyjamas, t-shirts, maybe a toy or two. But what I found made me freeze… At first glance, it was just clothes. But as I rummaged through it, I realised it wasn’t just for the week.
There were winter clothes: thick jumpers, coats and gloves. Then spring clothes, rain boots and a light jacket. My heart raced! Why would Jane pack for several seasons if she was only going to be gone for a week?
Then I discovered what looked like toys and medicine for the boys: a Tommy inhaler, allergy pills, and a bottle of cough syrup. Things Jane would never forget if she planned to stay here for long. The pieces began to fall into place, and I felt goosebumps creep up my spine.
This wasn’t just a short two-week trip. I kept digging, my hands shaking. At the bottom of the suitcase was a plain white envelope with my name written in Jane’s handwriting.
Inside was cash. A lot of it! More than I’d ever seen her carry. My breath caught as the horrible realisation began to hit me. Jane wasn’t going back anytime soon…or maybe ever!
I’ve been trying to make sense of it all. Why did she leave Tommy with me like that? Why didn’t she tell me if something was wrong? I grabbed my phone and called her, but the call went straight to voicemail.
I left her a message, trying not to give away my panic so as not to scare the baby.
‘Jane, it’s mum. Call me back as soon as you get this. Please. I’m worried about you.’
The next morning, when she never called back, I started to panic even more! I called her work, her friends, and even her former college roommate! No one had seen or heard from her! It was like she had vanished into thin air!
Three days passed and I could barely stay on my feet. Tommy was too young to understand why his mother wasn’t answering the phone, and I tried my best to keep things normal for his sake. But every time I looked at him, my heart clenched with worry.
Where was Jane? Why had she disappeared like that? I went back to my suitcase, hoping I’d missed something…some clue as to where she might have gone. But all I found was an envelope of money, a silent reminder that my daughter had been planning this for a long time.
The thought made me sick to my stomach.
For weeks, I cried out everything that had come to a boil, until suddenly my phone rang, and it was a video call. My heart jumped to my throat when I saw Jane’s name on the screen. My hands trembled as I pressed the ‘Reply’ button and saw my daughter’s face.
‘Jane? Where are you? Are you okay?’
There was a long pause on the other end of the wire before she answered, looking devastated and tired. ‘Mum, I’m so sorry.’
‘Sorry for what? Jane, what’s going on? Where are you?’
‘I’m fine Mum, but I can’t tell you where I am. I’m on a secret work assignment.’
‘Jane, you’re scaring me. What’s going on?’
‘Don’t worry mum. I’m safe, I’m fine and I’ll be back soon,’ my daughter said, failing to convince me.
‘I don’t believe you. Why can’t I see you properly?’ I asked.
‘Mum, you’re stressing me out! There’s nothing wrong with me. Please put Tommy on the phone, I want to talk to him.’
I sighed but did as she asked. Not to speak to me again, as soon as she finished talking to Tommy, she hung up.
When I tried to call back, she didn’t pick up as the number was switched off! I sat there, kneading my hands and looking at the ominous blue bag….
I had always kept the identity of Tommy’s father hidden. I knew who he was, but I swore to my mother I didn’t. The truth about him was much darker… I knew he was a dangerous man.
I overheard that he was back in town, and I knew I had to act quickly. I couldn’t let him know Tommy existed. If he found out, I was afraid he might take him away, use him, or worse…..
I panicked, packed Tommy’s things, and tried to pretend this was a normal visit to Grandma’s. But this time it was different. I had to erase all traces of Tommy from my house. So I packed up his clothes and his toys.
I even took his pictures off the walls and took them with me. I didn’t want to risk Alex showing up at my house and putting everything back together. I knew it meant sacrificing time with my son for a few weeks, but I couldn’t risk it.
I knew for a fact that my mum would keep my son safe. But I felt sad that I couldn’t tell her the truth. How could I admit that I had been lying all this time? How could I admit that Tommy’s father wasn’t some forgotten schemer, but the very real threat to our family?
Weeks passed, and there was no word from Jane. Every day I woke up with dread in my stomach. I wondered every day if they would call me today and tell me that she had been found, or worse, that something had happened to her.
I did my best to keep things normal for my grandson, but it was difficult. He asked about Mum every day and I had to lie, telling him she would be back soon, when in fact I had no idea if she was even coming back….
After weeks of being scared and hearing nothing from Alex, I finally decided it was safe to come back. My heart ached with longing for my son, but I knew I had done everything necessary to protect him.
When Jane arrived she looked haggard, but relieved. When Tommy saw her, he rushed to her with a joyful squeal, and for a moment it seemed that all was well again! But as I watched them, I couldn’t escape the feeling that it wasn’t over yet.
Jane had built her life on secrets and lies, and now they followed her everywhere like a shadow. When she finally picked up her suitcase to leave, her hands trembled slightly, a reminder of the burden she was carrying.
She turned to me, her eyes full of gratitude and sadness at the same time.
‘Mum,’ she said quietly, ’I will never be able to tell you how much this means to me. But I still can’t tell you anything about my assignment. I’m so sorry.’
I nodded, hugging her tightly. ‘Just promise me you’ll be safe, Jane. That’s all I ask.’
‘I promise,’ she whispered, even though we both knew
that I was worried that it was a promise she might not keep.
As I watched her drive away with Tommy, my heart ached with love and fear. I knew she had done what she had to do to protect her son, but I also knew that the journey ahead would be long and difficult.
The relief of having her back was immense, but the secrets Jane had created would haunt her forever. As they drove away, I stood at the door and whispered a prayer for the safety of their journey…leaving their fate in God’s hands.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but fictionalised for creative purposes. Names, characters and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to real people, living or dead, or real events is purely coincidental and is not intended by the author.
