Three days. That’s how long my mother had been missing.

My mom, who is 67 and has Alzheimer’s, wandered out of the house while I was away, taking the kids to summer camp. Nate, my husband, was supposed to watch her while I was gone.

When I got the call from Nate that Mom was missing, I felt like the wind had been knocked out of me. I rushed home, filled with dread. For three agonizing days, we searched everywhere, involving the police and putting up flyers. It was as if she had vanished.

On the fourth morning, the police brought her home. Relief washed over me, but when I glanced at Nate, he looked… nervous. I pushed my unease down, thinking he felt guilty for not keeping a better eye on her.

As I hugged my mother, she stared over my shoulder at Nate and pointed directly at him.

“You need to arrest him,” she said, her voice thin but sure.

Confused, I asked what she meant. Then, in a moment of lucidity, she told me she had seen Nate in our bedroom with another woman three days ago.

Nate shifted uncomfortably. “Claire, she’s confused,” he said. “She probably saw something from years ago…”

But Mom shook her head, insisting she had seen him with a woman who wore red-bottomed shoes. She recounted how Nate had told her to leave because she didn’t live there.

The room fell silent. I turned to Nate, my heart racing.

“Nate, tell me she’s not… tell me this didn’t happen!”

He raised his hands. “Claire, come on. She’s confused. I can explain.”

“Explain what? That you had an affair while I was gone?” I asked.

“It didn’t mean anything!” he insisted.

But I knew. My trust shattered in an instant. The police, sensing the tension, noted they couldn’t take action; there was no evidence of a crime—just my broken trust.

“You can leave. Thank you for bringing my mom back,” I said to the officers.

I turned to Nate. “I trusted you. Now, get out.”

He looked stunned. “What?”

“Get out, Nathaniel. Pack your things. I’m done.”

As he packed, I let tears spill down my cheeks.

“Come on, Claire-bear,” Mom said. “Let’s go make some tea and chocolate cake.”

Her Alzheimer’s had taken over again, but I allowed her to lead me. I had two weeks to figure out my feelings before the kids returned. Then it would be… devastating.