The Call in the Night

A stormy night shattered my peace when my mother’s trembling voice whispered through the phone, “Please, come save me from him!” Then, silence.

Daniel, my rebellious 16-year-old son, had promised to care for her—but something had gone terribly wrong. Arriving at her house, I found chaos: a reckless party, my mother locked away, terrified.

Confronting Daniel, I saw guilt flicker in his defiance. “It was just a party,” he muttered. But I knew better.

That night, I made a decision. He would face consequences—strict discipline, no freedoms—until he learned that responsibility wasn’t just a word. “Caring for others isn’t a game,” I told him. It was time for him to grow up.