My son, Michael, had just turned 22 last month, and I thought we had passed the turbulent teenage years. Little did I know, a storm was brewing right under my nose.\n
I was in the kitchen, preparing lunch when Michael stormed in, his face twisted with frustration.\n
\u201cMom, we need to talk,\u201d he said, his tone unusually serious.\n
I turned to him, noticing the tension in his voice. \u201cSure, what\u2019s on your mind, honey?\u201d\n
He leaned against the counter, arms folded. \u201cI need a car.\u201d\n
I paused, taken aback. \u201cA car? What happened to your part-time job? You were saving up for one.\u201d\n
Michael let out an exasperated sigh. \u201cI know, but it\u2019s taking forever to save up, and I really need it now.\u201d\n
I frowned, wiping my hands on a kitchen towel. \u201cMichael, cars are expensive. You know that. Besides, you have a job, you can save up a bit more and\u2014\u201d\n
He cut me off, his tone impatient, \u201cNo, Mom, I can\u2019t wait anymore. All my friends have cars, and I\u2019m tired of depending on you for rides or taking the bus. I need my freedom.\u201d\n
I could feel frustration building up within me, \u201cMichael, I understand, but we can\u2019t just afford to buy you a car out of the blue. It\u2019s not that simple.\u201d\n
He clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowing. \u201cWell, maybe I\u2019ll just go live with Dad then. He\u2019ll buy me a car.\u201d\n
His words hit me like a ton of bricks.\n
My ex-husband, David, always tried to buy Michael\u2019s affection instead of being a responsible parent. I couldn\u2019t believe Michael would even suggest such a thing.\n
\u201cMichael, you can\u2019t just threaten to leave because you\u2019re not getting what you want,\u201d I said, trying to keep my voice calm.\n
\u201cWhy not? Dad would be happy to have me. He always spoils me,\u201d he retorted, his tone defiant.\n
I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts, \u201cThis isn\u2019t about your dad. It\u2019s about responsibility. You\u2019re an adult now, and part of being an adult is making responsible decisions.\u201d\n
He rolled his eyes, \u201cYeah, responsible decisions like being the only one among my friends without a car.\u201d\n
Our conversation ended there, but the tension lingered in the air. I couldn\u2019t shake off the feeling of disappointment and worry.\n
The following days were filled with silent treatments and tension between Michael and me. Every time I tried to bring up the topic, it ended in arguments.\n
One evening, as we sat down for dinner, I decided to try again.\n
\u201cMichael, can we talk about the car situation again?\u201d I asked, cautiously.\n
He sighed, poking at his food, \u201cWhat\u2019s there to talk about, Mom? You still won\u2019t buy me one.\u201d\n
\u201cIt\u2019s not just about buying you a car, Michael. It\u2019s about the way you\u2019re handling this whole situation,\u201d I said, trying to keep my voice steady.\n
He looked up, his expression defensive, \u201cWhat do you mean?\u201d\n
\u201cI mean, threatening to leave if you don\u2019t get what you want is not how adults handle things. It\u2019s not fair to manipulate me like that,\u201d I explained, feeling a mix of frustration and sadness.\n
He shrugged, \u201cI\u2019m just tired of waiting. Dad would understand.\u201d\n
\u201cDad isn\u2019t here, Michael. And buying you a car won\u2019t solve everything. What about the expenses that come with it? Insurance, maintenance…\u201d I trailed off, hoping he would understand.\n
He remained silent for a moment before pushing his plate away, \u201cForget it, Mom. You\u2019ll never understand.\u201d\n
As he left the table, I couldn\u2019t help but feel a pang of guilt, wondering if I was being too harsh or if I was failing as a parent somehow.\n
Days turned into weeks, and the tension in the house only seemed to escalate. Michael became more distant, spending most of his time out with friends or locked up in his room.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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