When my mother was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, I took care of her by inviting her to live with me and my family.
My children loved her unconditionally, and despite her disease, she wasn’t a demanding person.
But then, one day, she went missing.
I was four hours away from home, taking my kids to a summer camp, when my husband, Nate, who was supposed to watch over her, called me and told me my mom vanished.
He got up in the middle of the night and noticed she wasn’t there.
The search lasted for three long and agonizing days.
The police got involved and even our family members and neighbors were looking for my mother tirelessly.
And then, finally, the police knocked at our door, bringing my mom home.
She was frail and confused, but glad she was home.
“Claire-bear,” she said to me, using my childhood nickname. “I’m here now.”
I felt relived, but that’s not how my husband felt. Nate seemed nervous, and his rection was rather odd.
At that moment, my mom pointed at Nate and said, “You need to arrest him.”
I froze. My mom seemed lucid, it was obvious it wasn’t the Alzheimer’s talking.
“Why, mom?” I asked her.
And that’s when she told me that she saw Nate in the bedroom with another woman. He tried to convince her that she was imagining things, but she was sure of what she had seen.
Trying to play tricks with her mind, Nate told my mother she no longer lived there, that it was no longer her home, and that she needed to leave.
Nate was the one who let her wander off aware of her health condition.
I looked at Nate, who was shocked. He started assuring me that my mom was talking nonsense, that she wasn’t in her right mind, but I knew my mom was well aware of her words.
Not only he cheated on me, but he was willing to risk my mom’s life in order to protect himself.
I no longer recognized the man I loved and shared my life with.
It didn’t take long before Alzheimer’s took over my mom again, but at least she could warn me of my husband.
In the days to come, I packed my belongings and left Nate for good.
