The Walkie-Talkie That Exposed Everything I Gave Away

You spend your whole life giving, believing love will guarantee love in return. But sometimes, love only makes you easier to use. My name is Annie, I’m 60 years old, and I’ve always believed that family comes first.

My husband died when our son, Thomas, was just seven. After that, I scrubbed floors, washed dishes, and worked double shifts just to feed us and pay the bills. There were nights I fell asleep standing, hands still aching from hot water and soap. My grandson Max is four—soft curls, a raspy giggle, and a way of brightening even the hardest day.

A week ago, he held up one of his little plastic walkie-talkies with sticky fingers and said, “Grandma Annie, this is for you!”