Sandra and Andrew’s Wake-Up Call
Sandra and Andrew were living their dream. They had met in culinary school and quickly fell in love. Both of them shared something special—they were proud of their Italian roots and passionate about Italian food. Every moment they weren’t cooking, they were talking about new recipes or planning how they’d open a restaurant together one day.
And they did it.
After graduating, Sandra and Andrew opened a cozy little Italian restaurant. It didn’t take long for it to get noticed. People were posting pictures of their pasta and desserts online, and soon, it was hard to get a table unless you booked weeks ahead.
During this time, they also became parents to a sweet little boy named Matteo. Life was beautiful, but also busy. Once Matteo started daycare, things got a bit more complicated.
“We really need help,” Sandra said one night as she collapsed onto the couch after a long shift. “Between the restaurant and taking care of the house, we barely get to spend time with Matteo.”
Andrew nodded. “Let’s find someone who can help out when we’re working. We don’t want Matteo to feel alone.”
That’s when they thought of Anthea—their neighbor’s teenage daughter. She was often home and seemed responsible. It felt like a perfect fit.
“She just has to pick him up from daycare and stay with him till we get home,” Sandra said. “It’s only a few hours every day.”
Andrew agreed. “He’s a quiet, easy kid. Just look after him, keep him happy—that’s all we ask,” he told Anthea when she came over to meet them.
Everything seemed to go smoothly at first. The restaurant was thriving, and Sandra felt a bit more relaxed knowing someone was there to look after Matteo. Since they usually finished work around 9 p.m., Matteo would already be getting ready for bed by the time they got home.
Matteo never said anything bad. He was a soft-spoken little boy who rarely complained. But just one week later, something strange happened.
Sandra got a phone call from Mrs. Deborah, Matteo’s daycare teacher.
“I don’t mean to worry you,” Mrs. Deborah began gently, “but I’ve noticed something. Matteo is always so happy when you drop him off. But when Anthea comes to pick him up, he starts crying. It’s happened three times this week. Even on days when he’s had fun, he gets upset the moment she shows up.”
Sandra froze.
“That’s not normal,” she whispered to herself after hanging up. Matteo wasn’t the kind of kid to cry for no reason. Even when she and Andrew were late picking him up in the past, he never made a fuss.
She told Andrew everything that Mrs. Deborah said. “Maybe he just misses us,” Sandra said, trying to reason. “We’re only around in the morning and late at night now.”
“Let’s not panic,” Andrew said. “We’ll talk to Matteo tonight, see if anything’s going on.”
That evening, Sandra sat on Matteo’s bed after reading him a bedtime story. She tucked him in, brushed his hair back gently, and asked softly, “Matteo, is everything okay at daycare?”
He smiled. “Yeah! I like it. I have two best friends—Patrick and Freddy. And Mrs. Deborah is super nice.”
Sandra smiled back, but she wasn’t done. “That’s great, sweetie. And what about Anthea? Do you like her?”
Matteo nodded… but there was no smile this time. No excitement. Just a quick, quiet nod.
Sandra’s heart tightened. Something didn’t feel right. That wasn’t an honest nod, she thought. He’s hiding something.
The next morning, before heading to the restaurant, Sandra called Anthea.
“Mrs. Deborah called me,” Sandra began. “She said Matteo cries every time you pick him up. Is something wrong?”
Anthea sounded surprised. “Oh, I’m sure he just misses you and Andrew, that’s all. He’ll get used to me soon.”
But something about her tone didn’t sit well with Sandra. All day at the restaurant, she couldn’t stop thinking about it. She was quiet, distracted, and barely touched her food during their break.
“Let’s follow her tomorrow,” she told Andrew. “Just once. I need to see for myself.”
The next day, they told the floor manager to handle things for a while, and instead of heading to work, they parked near Matteo’s daycare.
They watched from their car as Matteo laughed and played in the sandbox with his friends. When Anthea arrived, she didn’t smile or greet him warmly. She simply walked over and picked him up.
“Five more minutes?” Matteo begged. “Please?”
“No,” Anthea snapped. “We’re going.”
Sandra’s jaw clenched. Andrew shook his head. “That’s so unnecessary. It’s not even late!”
They quietly followed Anthea and Matteo back to the house. A few minutes later, they parked two houses away and watched. Matteo was sitting alone in the front yard, playing with a toy car on the sidewalk.
“Where’s Anthea?” Sandra asked.
Andrew drove slowly past the house. Through the window, they could see her inside, in front of a mirror, putting on makeup and filming herself on her phone. She was laughing and twirling in a dress, completely ignoring Matteo.
“She hasn’t even checked on him,” Sandra said angrily. “He’s just sitting out there alone. No food. No care. Nothing.”
“That’s it,” Andrew said. “We’re going in.”
They got out of the car and walked straight up to Matteo. He looked up and smiled. “Hi, Mommy! Hi, Daddy!”
They hugged him tightly, then walked inside.
Anthea looked like she had seen a ghost. “Oh! I didn’t know you were coming home early!” she stammered.
Andrew was furious. “You’re done. Get your things and leave. Right now.”
Without another word, Anthea grabbed her bag and left.
Sandra immediately called Mrs. Deborah. “Thank you,” she said. “If you hadn’t called us, we might never have known.”
“I wish you’d told me earlier,” Mrs. Deborah said kindly. “I know a few amazing nannies in town. Let me connect you with someone.”
Just a few days later, Sandra and Andrew hired Gabriella, a professional nanny with great references. She was a bit more expensive than Anthea, but Sandra didn’t care.
“I want Matteo to be safe. I want him to be happy. That’s what matters,” she told Andrew.
Sandra also started checking in with Mrs. Deborah every week and always asked Matteo how things were going.
“Do you like Gabriella?” Sandra asked him one evening.
Matteo’s whole face lit up. “She’s the best! She even played in the sandbox with us after school. She’s just like Mrs. Deborah!”
One afternoon, Gabriella brought Matteo to the restaurant right before closing time. It became a little surprise visit that Sandra and Andrew looked forward to every week.
Soon, it became their new tradition: the four of them—Sandra, Andrew, Matteo, and Gabriella—would sit down together and enjoy a warm meal at the family’s restaurant after a long day.
What can we learn from this story?
If you see something wrong, speak up. Mrs. Deborah didn’t ignore the signs—she cared enough to make a call. Thanks to her, Sandra and Andrew were able to fix a situation that could’ve hurt Matteo.
And there’s always a way to balance family and work. It’s not always easy, but when you put your child’s happiness first, the right solution will come. Sandra and Andrew found a way to keep their business running and protect their son’s joy and safety.