When Dad’s name appeared on my phone, I knew something was wrong. He never calls me directly. “Kimberly, get Matt and come NOW! Something’s happening to your mom,” he panicked before hanging up.
Mom was invincible — always taking care of everything. What could have happened? Heart attack? Stroke? I rushed to call Matt, then hurried to their house.
When I arrived, Dad was crying — a sight I’d never seen in 40 years. He said, “Mom’s gone crazy!” She’d packed and left with a friend for a vacation. My heart settled as I realized what had really happened: Mom had finally taken a break.
I called her, and hearing her relaxed voice on the beach was a relief. Matt and I booked her an extra week of vacation. When she returned, Dad had learned to appreciate her more, helping around the house and realizing she was more than just his caretaker.
It was a wake-up call for him: if you’re not contributing, someone might just walk away.
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