I could tell something was wrong when Ben walked through the door that Friday evening. He was dragging his feet, and the usual brightness in his eyes was nowhere to be found.
His hands were still wet, probably from wringing out the towels after washing another car, and he avoided eye contact as he dropped onto the couch.
A frustated little boy | Source: Midjourney
“Hey, bud, what’s going on?” I called from the kitchen.
I had planned on making him his favorite grilled chicken and mashed potatoes for dinner. I was going to have his plate ready the moment he walked in.
But looking at him now, I was worried. Ben was only 14 but recently got a taste of making money and wanted to be independent.
Plates of food | Source: Midjourney
“Come on,” I said, wiping my hands. “You can tell me anything!”
For a second, he didn’t answer but stared at the ground. My heart sank when I saw the frustration etched on his face.
It was like he was trying to find the words but didn’t know how to get them out.
A close up of a little boy | Source: Midjourney
“He… he didn’t pay me,” Ben finally muttered.
“What do you mean? Didn’t Mr. Peterson agree to pay you $50 each time you washed his car?” I asked, feeling my own brow furrow.
Ben let out a sigh that sounded far too heavy for a 14-year-old.
“Yeah, but today, after I finished washing the car for the fourth time this month, he said it wasn’t ‘spotless’ and that I wouldn’t get paid. At all! He said I should have done a better job if I wanted my money.”
An upset boy | Source: Midjourney
I felt my fists tighten. Mr. Peterson, that smug neighbor of ours who always had something slick to say. He strutted around in his suits, making sure everyone noticed the shine on his precious black Jeep.
“It’s a beautiful car, isn’t it?” he would ask, leaning out of his car. “Stunning!”
A few months ago, he became interested in Ben, especially after seeing Ben wash my car.
“Whoa! You’ve done a great job on your mom’s car, Ben! What do you say about washing my car every Friday? I’ll pay you, of course!”
A Jeep parked in a driveway | Source: Midjourney
Initially, I thought that it was a compliment, but now I could see it for what it really was:
A way to exploit cheap labor.
“You’ve been washing that car every week this month, haven’t you?” I asked, though I already knew the answer.
Ben nodded, sinking deeper into the couch.
A close up of a woman | Source: Midjourney
“Yeah, I’ve spent about three hours for the past four weeks, just making sure that it was clean. I even used the hand-vacuum under the seats and everything. But he said that I didn’t deserve to be paid.”
A flush of anger bloomed across my chest.
I knew Ben had done a great job. Whenever he did our car, I was always so impressed by him. And anyway, Mr. Peterson’s car gleamed like a showroom model when my son was done with it.
A frustrated boy | Source: Midjourney
This wasn’t about the car being clean. No, sir. It was about Mr. Peterson being a jerk.
And now?
Now, Ben was left feeling like his hard work wasn’t worth anything.
“How much does he owe you?” I asked.
Ben thought for a moment.
A man in a suit | Source: Midjourney
“Four washes, Mom. So, $200.”
I pulled out my wallet and counted $200 in crisp bills. I handed it to him, watching his eyes widen in surprise.
“Here, you earned this, sweetheart.”
“Mom, you don’t have to. It was Mr. Peterson’s job to pay me!” he exclaimed.
I shook my head, cutting him off.
A woman taking money out of her wallet | Source: Midjourney
“I’m not done with Mr. Peterson, honey. He doesn’t get to treat you like this and walk away.”
Ben looked uncertain, his eyes flicking from the money in his hand to me.
“But, Mom!”
“No ‘buts,’ Ben,” I said, putting my wallet away. “Trust me, I’m going to teach Mr. Peterson a lesson about what happens when you take advantage of someone’s hard work. Now, come on, let’s eat. I’m starving!”
Ben smiled and sat down at the table.
A smiling boy | Source: Midjourney
“Thanks, Mom,” he said, smiling.
The next morning, I woke up with a plan. Mr. Peterson had no idea what was coming. I glanced out the window and, sure enough, there he was, standing in his silk pajamas, meticulously polishing his Jeep like a man obsessed.
I smiled and headed outside, casually walking toward him in my yoga clothes.
“Good morning, Mr. Peterson!” I called out cheerfully.
A man standing next to a Jeep in pajamas | Source: Midjourney
He looked up from his car, his usual smug expression already in place.
“Morning, Irene,” he said. “What can I do for you? But make it quick, I have brunch with the family soon.”
I could have rolled my eyes.
“Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to check in about Ben’s payment for washing your car,” I said. “He mentioned you weren’t satisfied with his work yesterday.”
A close up of a woman | Source: Midjourney
Mr. Peterson straightened his back and crossed his arms.
“Yes, that’s right, Irene. The car wasn’t spotless, so I didn’t see the need to pay him. It’s a learning experience, you know? Anyway, he’s a young lad. The world has to humble him.”
The anger from the night before flared up again, but I kept my face neutral, even smiling a little.
“A learning experience, huh?” I said. “Interesting. Ben did tell me that you were a man of your word… and he mentioned that you agreed to pay him $50 per wash, regardless of how spotless it was. And wouldn’t you know it! I’ve got the pictures he took of the car after every wash.”
A man standing next to a Jeep | Source: Midjourney
The smugness in his expression cracked a little.
“Pictures?” Mr. Peterson asked.
“Yes, pictures. He enjoyed sending them to his grandfather after every wash. He is very proud of his work.”
Mr. Peterson grunted.
“And anyway, it seems to me like a verbal agreement was made. And breaking that? Well, that’s a breach of contract, isn’t it? Should I speak to my lawyer about this?”
A frowning woman | Source: Midjourney
The color drained from his face.
“There’s no need for all that!” he exclaimed.
I held up a hand.
“Oh, I think there is. See, Ben worked hard, and you’re trying to cheat him out of what he earned. So, here’s the deal. You pay my son the $200 today, or I’ll make sure everyone in this neighborhood knows how you treat kids who work for you.”
A close up of a man | Source: Midjourney
He just stared at me.
“And if that doesn’t convince you, I’m more than happy to take legal action,” I continued.
I could see the panic settle into his features now. The neighbor with the perfect lawn and the perfect Jeep was suddenly sweating bullets into his silk pajamas.
He opened the car door and fumbled for his wallet, quickly counting out the cash.
A man’s wallet | Source: Midjourney
“Here’s your money,” he muttered, handing over $200 in crumpled bills.
“Great. It’s been good doing business with you,” I said with a smile. “But please, understand that my son will not touch a car of yours again.”
He nodded grimly.
Inside, Ben looked up from the couch when I walked in. He had a bowl of cereal in his hands, and his eyes widened when I handed him the cash.
A boy holding a bowl of cereal | Source: Midjourney
“You actually did it!” he exclaimed.
I grinned, feeling a fierce sense of pride.
“No one messes with my son,” I said. “Especially when they think they can get away with not paying what’s owed. Next time, if someone tries to pull a stunt like that, you’ll know exactly how to handle it.”
“Does this mean that I have to give you the $200 back?” he grinned.
A smiling boy | Source: Midjourney
“No,” I laughed. “But I think you can take me out on a mother-son date for lunch today?”
“Deal, Mom,” he said.
Later, when we were sitting in a cute bistro, Ben leaned across his chair, squinting at the sign from the ice cream parlor across the road.
“Help wanted,” he read. “What do you think, Mom? A weekend job at an ice cream parlor?”
A mom and son duo at a bistro | Source: Midjourney
“Go for it,” I laughed, getting into my burger. “But if the boss is mean, you know who to call.”
My son smiled at me and nodded slowly before picking up a fry.
What would you have done?
A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney
If you enjoyed this story, here’s another one for you |
I Made My Boss Regret Humiliating My Wife’s Appearance in Front of the Whole Office
When Colin and his wife, Alice, end up working at the same company for business tyrant Mr. Taylor, they think that they’ve gotten a sweet deal while they branch out to their passions. But after one mistake at work, Alice is ridiculed in front of everyone, causing Colin to retaliate. As the couple lose their jobs, Colin is left fighting for revenge…
Working as a driver for the owner of a mid-sized company was never the dream, but it paid the bills. If I had to be honest, I would tell you that what I had always wanted to do was own my own construction company, but life often works in funny ways.
A smiling man dressed as a chauffer | Source: Midjourney
The silver lining to being a driver was that I got to go to fancy places and I got to work alongside my wife, Alice. We’d met years ago, long before either of us ended up working at the same place. But when Alice got the job as Mr. Taylor’s personal assistant, she dropped him my resume.
“It’s going to be okay, Colin,” she told me one evening when we were making pasta for dinner.
“He needs a personal driver, and you can do that. Neither of us have to stay there forever, but the pay is good enough for the moment. So, until something better comes along for us, we’ll have to make do.”
A smiling woman | Source: Midjourney
“I know,” I agreed.
Read the full story here.
This work is inspired by real events and people, but it has been fictionalized for creative purposes. Names, characters, and details have been changed to protect privacy and enhance the narrative. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental and not intended by the author.
The author and publisher make no claims to the accuracy of events or the portrayal of characters and are not liable for any misinterpretation. This story is provided “as is,” and any opinions expressed are those of the characters and do not reflect the views of the author or publisher.
My Young Son Disappeared During a Family Vacation – Five Hours Later, a Dog Returned with His Hat in Its Teeth
The moment I saw our son’s blue baseball cap dangling from the German Shepherd’s teeth, my heart stopped. Five hours of desperate searching, calling the police, and suspecting our peculiar hosts had led to this moment. But nothing could have prepared me for what happened next.
I never thought our annual family vacation would turn into the most terrifying day of my life.
Looking back now, I can laugh about it, but at that moment, it felt like my whole world was crumbling around me.
A woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney
Being Tyler’s mom is the greatest joy of my life.
Every morning when I watch him devour his chocolate chip pancakes or scrunch up his nose while solving math problems, I’m reminded of how blessed we are. With a supportive husband like Jake by my side, I can’t help but wonder what I did to deserve such a beautiful life.
But hey, don’t get me wrong. It’s not like Jake and I don’t have our bad days.
A woman arguing with her husband | Source: Midjourney
We argue about silly things like whose turn it is to do the laundry or whether Tyler should have a later bedtime. But at the end of the day, we always find our way back to each other.
That’s what marriage is about, right?
Getting pregnant with Tyler wasn’t easy. After three years of trying and countless fertility treatments, we’d almost given up hope.
I still remember the day I saw those two pink lines on the pregnancy test.
A woman looking at a pregnancy test | Source: Pexels
Jake found me crying on the bathroom floor, clutching the test to my chest like it was made of gold.
Since then, my life has been nothing short of wonderful. I’m so grateful to have an intelligent boy like Tyler in my life.
“Mommy, why do birds fly in a V-shape?” Tyler asked me just last week while we were at the park.
His bright blue eyes were fixed on the geese overhead, his mind always working, always curious.
I smiled, adjusting his baseball cap. The same cap that would later give me the scare of my life.
A boy wearing a baseball cap | Source: Midjourney
“Well, sweetie, it helps them save energy. The bird at the front breaks through the air, making it easier for the others to fly.”
“Like when Daddy lets me ride on his shoulders at the mall?”
“Exactly like that, clever boy!”
These are the moments I live for. Maybe that’s why Jake and I made it our tradition to take a family vacation every year, no matter what life throws at us.
The view from an airplane window | Source: Pexels
This year, we chose a small coastal town.
Nothing fancy. Just a week of beach walks and ice cream cones. We’d booked a modest hotel online, well within our budget.
But when we arrived, exhausted after a four-hour drive, the hotel clerk dropped a bomb on us.
“I’m so sorry, but there seems to be a problem with your reservation,” she said, typing frantically on her computer.
A close-up shot of a reception desk | Source: Pexels
Jake leaned forward. “What kind of problem? We booked this room three months ago.”
“The system shows your booking was accidentally double-booked, and the other party checked in earlier today.” She wouldn’t meet our eyes. “We’re completely full due to the summer festival.”
“This is unacceptable!” I said, trying to keep my voice down as Tyler played with his toy cars on the lobby floor. “We drove four hours to get here. Where are we supposed to stay?”
A woman talking to her husband | Source: Midjourney
The clerk offered us a list of nearby hotels, but her apologetic smile told me we wouldn’t have much luck.
As we walked out, Tyler tugged at my sleeve.
“Mommy, are we going home?”
“No, sweetie,” I said, forcing a smile. “We’re just going to find an even better place to stay.”
We found a small diner nearby and slid into a booth while Jake scrolled through his phone, looking for alternatives.
“Any luck?” I asked, helping Tyler color his kids’ menu.
Color pencils on a table | Source: Pexels
Jake ran his fingers through his hair. It was his classic stress signal.
“Everything’s either fully booked or way over our budget. Wait…” His eyes lit up. “Here’s something. An Airbnb rental, just ten minutes from here. The price is reasonable.”
“What’s the catch?”
“No reviews yet, but the hosts seem nice. Martha and Gary. They’re offering a bedroom in their house.”
I wasn’t thrilled about staying with strangers, but what choice did we have?
A woman in a restaurant | Source: Midjourney
Jake made the booking, and thirty minutes later, our taxi pulled up to a Victorian-style house that looked like it belonged in a horror movie.
Peeling paint, creaky shutters, overgrown bushes… the works.
“Jake,” I whispered, gripping his arm. “This place gives me the creeps. Maybe we should—”
“We don’t have many options, honey,” he said softly. “Let’s just give it a chance.”
Before we could discuss it further, the front door creaked open.
The front door of a house | Source: Pexels
A woman in her fifties appeared, her thin face set in what I can only describe as a grimace.
“Welcome,” she said in a clipped tone. “I’m Martha. Please come in.”
Once we stepped inside, I noticed that the inside of the house matched the outside. All dark wood and heavy curtains.
Then, Martha’s husband Gary appeared from somewhere, his weathered face breaking into an unsettling smile as he spotted Tyler.
“What a precious little boy,” Martha cooed, reaching out to ruffle Tyler’s hair.
Something about the way she looked at him made my skin crawl.
A woman in her house | Source: Midjourney
As we stood in the living room, a deep bark echoed from the backyard, making Tyler jump.
“That’s just Max,” Gary explained. “Our German Shepherd. He stays in the kennel out back. Built it right into the old garden wall. It’s quite spacious.”
After showing us to our room, Martha and Gary disappeared downstairs. I shut the door and turned to Jake.
“This place is creepy,” I whispered. “And did you see how they were looking at Tyler?”
A woman talking to her husband in a room | Source: Midjourney
Jake pulled me close.
“Katie, you’re overthinking this,” he said. “We’ll be out exploring all day. It’s just a place to sleep.”
I tried to believe him, but something felt off. Still, we managed to have a nice dinner in town and returned late, falling into an uneasy sleep.
The next morning started normally enough.
We had breakfast in an empty kitchen. There was no sign of Martha or Gary.
A breakfast meal | Source: Pexels
Back in our room, Jake and I started getting ready for a day at the beach while Tyler watched cartoons in the living room.
“Tyler, honey!” I called out. “Time to get changed!”
No response.
“Tyler?” I stepped into the living room. Empty. The TV was still playing, but my son was nowhere in sight.
“Jake!” My voice cracked with panic. “Tyler’s not here!”
A worried woman standing in a living room | Source: Midjourney
We searched every room, calling his name.
That’s when Martha and Gary came through the front door, shopping bags in hand.
“Is something wrong?” Martha asked, her face unreadable.
“We can’t find Tyler!” I was trying not to hyperventilate. “He was just here!”
Martha’s dismissive wave made my blood boil.
“Children wander,” she said. “He’ll turn up.”
They disappeared into their room while Jake and I continued searching frantically.
“We need to call the police,” I insisted. “And those two… something’s not right about them.”
A worried woman talking to her husband | Source: Midjourney
Jake grabbed my shoulders. “Katie, stop. Why would they take Tyler?”
“Did you see how they were looking at him yesterday? And now they’re acting like it’s no big deal that he’s missing!”
The police arrived a few minutes after I called them. It had been almost five hours since my boy went missing.
As I described the situation, movement at the front door caught my eye. Max stood there with something blue in his mouth.
It was Tyler’s baseball cap.
A dog holding a baseball cap | Source: Midjourney
Then, the dog turned and trotted back toward his kennel, still holding the cap.
“The dog has Tyler’s hat!” I screamed.
At that point, everything I’d been holding back – the fear, the panic, the horrible scenarios playing in my mind – came flooding out.
The officers followed Max to his kennel with flashlights in their hands. As Max entered his kennel, the officers bent over and looked inside.
What they found there made me sink to my knees in relief.
A close-up shot of an officer’s uniform | Source: Pexels
There was Tyler, curled up fast asleep against Max’s fuzzy body. The dog had been protecting Tyler, and apparently keeping him warm while he napped.
“Tyler!” I called out when the cops told me he was in there.
“Mommy?” Tyler rubbed his eyes as I scooped him into my arms. “I’m sorry I scared you.”
“Baby, what happened? How did you end up here?” I smoothed his messy hair, my heart still racing.
A boy standing in the backyard | Source: Midjourney
“I was watching TV, but I got really sleepy,” he mumbled against my shoulder. “Then Max came inside and showed me his house. It’s so cozy in here, Mommy! I didn’t mean to fall asleep.”
“Buddy, you can’t disappear like that,” Jake said as he knelt down beside us. “We were worried sick.”
“I know, Daddy. I’m really sorry.” Tyler’s bottom lip quivered. “I just wanted to pet Max for a minute.”
At that point, I felt bad for suspecting Martha and Gary were behind my son’s disappearance. These people had opened their home to us, and I’d imagined the worst about them.
How could I do that?
A serious woman looking straight ahead | Source: Midjourney
“Let’s have dinner together tonight,” I suggested to Martha and Gary later that afternoon. “Our treat. To thank you for your hospitality.”
That evening, over lasagna from the local Italian restaurant, I saw a different side of our hosts.
Martha’s stern expression softened as she told stories about Max’s adventures, and Gary’s eyes twinkled as he shared tales about the old house’s history.
“Max has always had a soft spot for children,” Gary said, passing the garlic bread. “He used to be a therapy dog at the local elementary school.”
An older man smiling | Source: Midjourney
Martha nodded. “That kennel was supposed to be just for him, but somehow it’s become a favorite hideout for all our young guests.”
As we shared tiramisu for dessert, I realized how wrong first impressions could be.
What I’d seen as creepy was simply reserved, and what I’d interpreted as suspicious was just their quiet way of living.
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