My 7th grader, d12, came home from school yesterday with a tragic story to tell H and me (me via phone. H there with her). A boy and his girlfriend in her grade broke up. The boy, who I am told had some other issues, thought she was cheating on him. On Friday, the boy, 14 years old (he was held back, that is why he is in d12’s grade) tried to hang himself. Yesterday, the family took him off life support. D12 didn’t know him but knows the girl who is devastated.
She recanted the story to us and I could hear the sadness in her voice and then H got on the phone, and he seemed kind of shocked. I don’t know if he knew what to say. I finally broke the silence and all I could say to him at the time was that it is so scary that we have to protect our children from outside issues and problems and even scarier that we need to now think about protecting them from themselves.
D12 was very talkative about the situation. We spoke a lot. I think that is a good sing. She spent the early evening with my dad (who spoils her) while I went to s15’s swim meet. She seems to be processing it all ok.
H sent me a tm in the middle of the night…it said “just thinking of you. Hope s15 did well in his meet.” I was up any way so I replied. I have a little bit of a cold and h was back and forth asking me what I was taking. He swears by zycam and asked if I had some. He offered me his in case I didn’t. I thanked him and told him I did have some. Finally I fell asleep.
H just called. ZERO EXPECTATIONS. He asked how I was feeling and said he was on his way down near my work and offered to drop off his zycam (which just happened to be in his pocket). I told him I didn’t want to bother him….but as he persisted I agreed.
After he left I sent him a tm thanking him. I told him I only hesitated on him bringing it to me because I know how busy he is and didn’t want to bother him. He said he wouldn’t have offered if he didn’t want to. He said it was no bother…that he wanted me to feel better.
Zero expectations. A lot of suspicions.
Thanks for letting me vent. Tomorrow is Friday…….and I am taking the next 2 Mondays off (the kids are off). YEAH!!!!!!
