I assumed he was frightened after seeing Grandma change from someone strong and independent into someone who now needed help simply walking downstairs. I hugged him, reassured him that she was safe, and told him to sleep in his own bed that night.
He agreed.
Then he did the exact same thing the following night.
Around the same time, my younger brother Jason began visiting almost every day. He ran a small contracting business and had always been charming, impulsive, and completely convinced that he could fix almost anything.
After Mom’s surgery, Jason seemed determined to make himself useful. He brought groceries, repaired a loose railing, replaced a light fixture I had ignored for months, and constantly volunteered to stay with Mom whenever I needed to leave the house.
“Go. I’ve got Mom.”
I was grateful enough that I even gave him a spare key. With Mom recovering under my roof, having another family member who could get inside quickly seemed practical.
Then I started noticing something strange.
Tyler began following Jason everywhere.
Whenever Jason went upstairs, Tyler followed. If Jason sat beside Mom’s bed, Tyler suddenly appeared with a drawing or a question, and whenever Jason offered to stay with her while I ran errands, Tyler no longer wanted to come with me.
At first, I thought he was simply becoming possessive of Grandma. One Saturday, Jason carried a cup of tea upstairs, and Tyler immediately stood to follow him.
Jason laughed.
“What’s with you, little bodyguard?”
He ruffled Tyler’s hair, but Tyler did not smile.
That should have bothered me more than it did.
Instead, I pulled Tyler aside later and told him to stop hovering around his uncle. I explained that Jason was only trying to help and that Grandma could call me if she needed anything.
Tyler stared at the carpet before finally looking up at me.
