A week before Christmas, I was stunned when I heard my daughter say over the phone: ‘Just send all 8 kids over for Mom to watch, we’ll go on vacation and enjoy ourselves.’ On the morning of the 23rd, I packed my things into the car and drove straight to the sea.

A week before Christmas, I was in the kitchen making coffee when I heard voices coming from the living room. It was Amanda, my daughter, on the phone. Her tone was casual, carefree, as if she were planning a vacation or picking out a new dress.

I approached slowly without making a sound, because something in her voice made me stop. Then I heard her say clearly, “Just leave all eight grandkids with her to watch and that’s it. She doesn’t have anything else to do anyway. We’re going to the hotel and we’ll have a peaceful time.”