MY 16-YEAR-OLD SON SLEPT OVER AT HIS BEST FRIEND’S HOUSE EVERY WEEKEND FOR TWO MONTHS — UNTIL HIS FRIEND’S MOTHER CALLED AND ASKED WHEN MY SON WAS BRINGING HER SON HOME. NEITHER BOY HAD BEEN AT EITHER HOUSE IN EIGHT WEEKENDS. AT 4:37 A.M., NATHAN FINALLY WALKED IN — ALONE — AND WHEN I REALLY LOOKED AT HIM, MY KNEES BUCKLED.
My sixteen-year-old son slept over at his best friend’s house every weekend — until his best friend’s mother called and asked me, “When is my son coming home? He’s been spending every weekend at your place!”
“Denise, what are you talking about? Nathan’s been at your house since yesterday.”
Silence.
“Laura, I haven’t seen your son in weeks.”
I nearly dropped my coffee.
Eight weekends. Both boys. Each telling each mother he was at the other’s house.
And not one of those nights had either of them been where we thought.
Chapter 1: Eight Weekends
