Worse still, she had started a crowdfunding campaign, claiming she had rescued Mom from neglect. I was erased from the story entirely — the daughter who’d been there all along replaced by a stranger wearing our mother’s love like a costume. I couldn’t let it stand.
I gathered everything — visitor logs, care plan notes, photos, even a saved voicemail from Mom thanking me for always being there. I found a lawyer, and we went to court.
Lauren cried, claimed she found Mom in terrible condition. But the judge saw the truth in my documentation — and in the voicemail that broke everyone’s heart: “You’re the only one who visits, honey. Love you.”The court granted me emergency guardianship.
That afternoon, I brought Mom back to her room, put the robin calendar on the wall, and sat beside her with lemon muffins. Her memory was fading, but when she whispered “You came,” I knew I had done the right thing. She may not remember everything, but I do. And I’ll keep showing up. Every time.
