A call from Evan's mom

Evan's mom called.

I accepted the call. I just could not refuse her call one more time.

I tried to tell her only that Evan was safe and not in trouble, but that it was his job to tell her what was going on...but I couldn't.

All I could hear was a mother who was scared.

I told her that the truth...that Evan was in rehab for codeine. That he told us it was a problem and that he asked for help.

Her response was loving. She was glad that he was able to do that. She was not angry with him.

She wanted to know where he was. I told her only that it was in [location deleted] and that it was a really good place -- a small place that only took about 8 people at a time.

I told her that if she wants to mail a letter here I can forward it to him.

At first she said that she wanted to tell him in the letter that she was proud of him for doing this, but then she took it back and said that of course she shouldn't because I wasn't supposed to tell her.

I told her that I thought it would be good for Evan to know that she was proud of him and that it was okay to be honest about our conversation. She said, "I will tell him that I MADE you tell me. That I would NOT let you off the phone until you did." She asked if she could call back in a week or so to get an update about Evan. I said yes.

When I talked to her it was just one mother talking to another. She was scared; she was a worried mother who needed to know what was happening with her son, and I knew.

So I told her.


I don't know if I should tell Evan that I told her. I am thinking not. It will raise his expectations of a letter or something and I don't know if she will follow through on that. Also Evan should still have to face his responsibility of telling her.