In a story of misunderstanding and revelation, young Kai discovers the harsh truths behind his mother Jessica’s nocturnal disappearances. At first, Kai’s life is immersed in video games and adolescent frustrations, especially after the tragic death of his hero father, who died in a fire. This loss spirals Kai into resenting his mother, exacerbated by her increased absence from the home due to the many jobs taken to support their family.
Dealing with her own grief and the immense pressure of single parenthood, Jessica distances herself from Kai and enforces strict rules to keep him in line while she’s away. Her actions, while seemingly harsh, stem from a place of desperate love and the burden of securing Kai’s future. Kai, consumed by his storm of youthful rebellion and grief, misinterprets her actions as neglect.
When a teenage boy falls asleep at night, he learns that his mother often travels late into the night and who she often meets.
Kai regained consciousness. While playing the video game Red Dead Redemption, which is about cowboy despots and outlaws fighting for survival, the 16-year-old dozed off.
He sighed as he quickly looked at the wall clock and saw that it was almost twelve o’clock. Once again he fell asleep in front of the screen – something his mother hated but rarely witnessed him doing.
Even though it only happened twice, it was an unpleasant experience he didn’t want to repeat, so he quickly got up and turned off the game system and monitor.
As soon as he heard footsteps coming from his mother’s room, he climbed into bed and began to wait for her to fall asleep.
“Probably going to make sure I’m in bed,” he believed. “Phew, that was close.
His mother, Jessica, would usually check in with him late at night to make sure he wasn’t playing video games or texting friends.
This time was no different; she carefully opened the door for him and took a quick look inside before deciding that he was indeed asleep.
Most nights he would be, but this particular night Kai was alert and cheerful. He gave up and went to bed early because he almost never managed to fool his mother.
Before his father died trying to save people from a burning building, she wasn’t always so rough. Even though it had been over a year ago, Kai and his mother still hadn’t recovered from their loss.
He was angry at Jessica for being so far away from him when he needed her, especially after she had to take another job to support her child after her husband’s death.
After his father died, Kai cut off all communication with him, including his mother, as he had a strong bond and deep love for him.
He was nasty and often hurt her with his scathing remarks without apologizing. He didn’t care that she worked too hard to support him, or that her health problems were the result of her excessive working hours.
In response, she also distanced herself from him more and seemed to care about him staying out of trouble and doing as she said.
Of course, he continued to disobey her on a regular basis but began to avoid her company when she began handing out more severe punishments, such as taking away his gaming system for several weeks.
That night he was relieved to escape again when he was caught in his system, but his relief turned to questioning when he noticed that her footsteps didn’t lead back to her chamber. Rather quietly she also made her way into the living room, but creaking footsteps revealed her identity.
The creaking soon stopped and he heard the front door open and close.
As he watched her ride away on her pink bike, he wondered, “Where is she going?”
The young man could not sleep that night because he was afraid for his mother. While waiting, he tried to play other games, but his treacherous mind kept conjuring up bizarre scenarios.
He didn’t like the idea of his mother walking around at night, especially when gun violence was on the rise in the US. When he wasn’t distracted from her by playing games, he spent his time explaining why she went out.
Did it go to the pharmacy? He wondered if she was sick. Or she discovered a man. Kai wasn’t sure where the idea had originated, but it immediately stuck and rage ensued.
He shouted to himself, “How could she?!”
“It hasn’t even been that long since Dad died.
When he heard his mother return, the angry child stayed up until five in the morning. He didn’t know how to answer, so he kept his observation to himself. However, the following night he drank a lot of coffee to keep himself awake because he needed to find out if her midnight trips were common.
The following evening was the same. The fact that his mother wasn’t there suggested that whatever it was, it took a lot longer.
He said to himself, “So that’s why she always makes me go to bed early.”
Jessica left her phone at home the day after she went to the grocery store.
When Kai discovered this, she inadvertently noticed a message notification on her phone.
It was from Kevin Green, who asked her to meet him “at the same place” at two in the morning.
“So I was right,” he thought with tears in his eyes.
Kai started to hate her even more after that day. His tirades became harsher to the point of abuse and he began to break objects in his fits of rage.
When his mother came home from work one day, beaming and reading a text on her phone, Kai lost it and began abusing and humiliating her until she raised her hand in defiance.
In response, he shoved her in the back and left the house to stay with a friend.
The doctor called him later that evening.
“Hi Kai, I’m calling to let you know that Miss Jessica O’Shea has you listed as her emergency contact. She was brought in unconscious and is currently being treated at Cedars Sinai Hospital.”
Kai walked over to the stranger he had observed waiting outside his mother’s ward when he arrived there.
The man reached out for a handshake and said, “Hi, you must be Kai, Jessica’s son. My name is Kevin Green.”
Kai studied the hand for a moment before looking away.
“You’re the one she’s been sneaking to see every day, aren’t you?” Kai asked.
“What?” “I believe you are completely mistaken,” Kevin said.
“Why don’t you enlighten me?” Kai shot back with a determined expression. Kai’s mother was revealed to be employed as a mover at the warehouse where the man managed operations.
“She’s a longtime friend of mine, and when she lost Ted, I decided to help her as much as I could, so when she told me how she needed a side job to save up for your university, I told her to apply . like a mover,” Kevin explained.
Kai was unaware of this and began to gently come to terms with the fact that he had misinterpreted his mother. Meanwhile, Kevin used his silence as permission to continue speaking.
“I think she was working too much because she suddenly collapsed that night and hit her head on the table on the way down.
Although his vision was blurry from unshed tears, Kai remained silent as he listened. After they exchanged a few more words, he thanked the stranger for his kindness and left to see his mother.
She looked tired, and when he took her hand in his it was easy. He vowed to give it his all as soon as he was well.
After that day, Kai replaced her at the warehouse and used all his earnings to buy some medicine for his mother. When that didn’t seem enough, he sold his gaming system and took out loans from friends to pay for her continued care.
After his mother finally recovered after several weeks, Kai took over the responsibility of providing for the family.
What did this story teach us?
• Never judge a book by its cover. Kai was angry with his mother because he felt that she moved away from his late father too soon, although this was not true. Before he knew the truth, he was cruel to her.
## Avoid egoism. Kai’s mother had lost her husband and father, but he was blind to everything but his own grief, which is why he snapped at her when she was constantly away at work. Fortunately, he understood the reason before it was too late, although it was selfish of him to want her home when the family needed to survive.
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In this moving narrative, Kai learns a valuable lesson about the assumptions and sacrifices his mother made for their family. Initially overwhelmed by his own grief and resentment of his mother’s late-night absences, Kai jumps to conclusions that paint her in an unfaithful light. However, the harsh reality of his mother’s determination and the lengths she went to secure his future comes crashing down on him when he discovers that she has been working physically demanding jobs to save for his education.
The story serves as a powerful reminder of the complexity of the actions of those we love and highlights the importance of communication and understanding in family relationships. Kai’s journey from misunderstanding to understanding and redemption underscores the need for empathy and support in families, especially during times of hardship. By standing up to support his mother in her time of need, Kai not only mends their relationship but also grows into a more compassionate and responsible individual.
Share this story with others to inspire compassion and a deeper appreciation for the often unseen sacrifices loved ones make. It is a challenge to look beyond the surface and understand the deep love and devotion that often motivates the actions of those closest to us.