My son is 22, and his girlfriend just moved in with us. At first, I tried to be fair — I wanted to give them space to grow, to build their lives. But as the weeks went on, I noticed the bills rising and the quiet tension in the house. I started to feelmore like a host than a parent. So one evening, I finally told him, “If she’s going to live here, she needs to contribute.”
He looked at me strangely, like I’d missed something important. “Mom,” he said softly, “didn’t she tell you?” My heart skipped a beat as I braced myself for the worst. He went on, “She’s been paying part of the groceries and utilities all along — she just didn’t want to make it awkward.” I stood there, speechless, realizing how quickly I had judged the situation.
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