My Son Lied, Stole, and Left Me Behind—He Didn’t Expect What I Did Next (2 of 4)

Because the house they lived in? The house they had begged to save from foreclosure?

It was mine.

Let me tell you exactly how they underestimated the wrong mother.

About six months ago, Marcus called me in tears. “Mom, we’re drowning,” he said. “Rebecca lost her job, and we’re behind on everything—school fees, mortgage, you name it. If we don’t come up with $80,000 soon, we could lose the house.”

I was retired, settled comfortably in a Phoenix condo. I had my routines, my bridge club, my morning walks. I wasn’t rich, but I was stable. And more than that—I was a mom.

So I did what any mother would do. I helped.

But I wasn’t foolish. My late husband taught me well. Before sending the money, I made sure everything was legal. The loan was documented and secured by a lien on their house. Marcus wasn’t thrilled—but he signed.

At first, things felt okay. Weekly calls, updates about the kids, polite thank-yous.

Then the calls slowed down.

Excuses started piling up. Rebecca was “busy.” I wasn’t invited to birthdays or school plays. I became an afterthought. Or maybe I always had been.

Then one day, by accident, Emma—my sweet 12-year-old granddaughter—answered Marcus’s phone. “Grandma Ruth! I miss you! When are you coming to visit? Daddy says you’re always too busy…”