Parents aren’t usually surprised when their kids don’t want them to look through their backpacks. After all, what’s inside could be personal, like notes between friends and diaries that kids would rather keep to themselves. But a bunch of baby diapers would be the last thing a parent would expect to find.
Caleb certainly didn’t want his parents to look through his backpack, which his parents didn’t even question. But when his parents noticed his backpack was full to bursting, they decided to check out why. And when they opened the zipper of the pack, a bunch of diapers fell out.
Caleb’s Dad
Noa, Caleb’s dad, noticed that his son was getting more quiet after school and he wondered if his son would let him know what was going on. But his son’s behavior quickly changed from bad to worse.
Noa and his wife Jessica wanted to let Caleb figure out his problems on his own, but his behaviors became more and more secretive. Every day he would hide his backpack in his room, out of his parents’ sight. And when Caleb started asking Jessica for money one day they knew that they had to figure out what was really going on with their son.
The Trip to School
The following morning, he hurriedly got in his car and sped to school ahead of Caleb's bus. He waited for a few minutes because he was so early that the school wasn't even open yet. He then went to approach one of Caleb's teachers. She looked shocked to see him.
Caleb's teacher was really helpful and eager to provide Noa with more information about his son. She was unable to fully provide him with the answers he was seeking. She was unaware of Caleb's backpack or that he was trying to hide something. But there was someone at the school who did know something…
Late For School
Caleb's instructors have noticed that he had been arriving to class late nearly every day for the past two weeks. It wasn't a coincidence that this began when Caleb became unusually protective of his backpack.
Also, Caleb started acting strangely at school. To try to make sense of the situation, Noa went to the principal. He asked him whether he could confirm what Caleb's teacher had previously told him. Caleb was actually well-known to the principal. Until acting strangely recently, he was one of the finest students at the school.
Caleb Became More Quiet
The principal informed Noa that his kid had been extremely quiet lately. It appeared as though he was not even in school because his thoughts seemed to be elsewhere. He only became animated when someone approached his backpack, when he would tell them to mind their own business.
There was even more that Noa wasn’t aware of. Caleb was just dismissed from one of his classes for failing to pay attention. While the teacher felt bad for him, he had to expel Caleb to teach him a lesson. Noa knew that he had to ask Caleb's classmates about his recent behavior.
What Do The Other Students Know?
A few of Caleb's closest friends and other students were called into the principal’s office. Noa was curious to hear what they had to say regarding Caleb's actions. Had they also picked up on something strange about his behavior?
An identical story was given by Caleb's friends, his teacher, and the principal. Recently, Caleb had undergone a sudden transformation. Since the previous Christmas, Caleb had changed significantly. Why this happened was a mystery to Noa, but he was sure it had something to do with what was in his backpack.
He Kept His Backpack Hidden
Caleb was very protective of his backpack. Even during the bus ride to school, he was sitting alone. He did not want anyone to come close. Noa knew what was in the backpack, but for what purpose was Caleb constantly bringing diapers to school? Was there something more in the bag?
What’s Going On?
Noa tried talking to his son when he came back home that day. He first looked in his son’s backpack, which was carefully stashed away in his room. However, the bag was completely empty. This raised even more questions, what was he doing with them?
He Stayed Silent
Caleb straight-up refused to talk to his parents. He did not want to tell them anything about what he was doing. They thought he was ashamed of something or hiding something more than just the diapers. Maybe he was transporting something in them.
He Decided to Follow His Son
Noa decided to follow his son to school the next day. At a safe distance, he parked his car in the morning just outside of the bus stop. He had to know what Caleb was up to. Only then could he confront him.
This morning would bring an enormous twist. Caleb did seem to take the bus. He had once again filled up his backpack. Noa kept following the bus. There was nothing out of the ordinary. But he saw that his son was once again sitting alone. Then something happened.
One More Stop
At the last stop before school, Caleb got off. Noa is completely confused about what his son did. Was he on to him? Noa quickly parked his car to track Caleb on foot. But this seemed to be a difficult task. Where was he going?
After 15 minutes of trailing his son, he completely lost track of where he was. He had to keep a safe distance not to get spotted, and that is when he lost him. Noa looked around for a couple of minutes, but there was no sign of Caleb. He had to intercept him at school.
Back to School
Noa quickly drove to school to see if he could intercept Caleb, but it did not seem like Caleb was anywhere close to the school. Noa was waiting for quite a while. He almost gave up. But then he saw his son in the distance.
After an entire hour, Caleb finally arrived. Noa was confused. It certainly seemed like his son was late for school and was up to no good. Where was he all that time? Noa now had even more questions. Then he saw something else, something about the backpack.
There’s Nothing Inside
When Caleb turned the corner, Noa noticed that his son’s backpack was now completely empty. Where did all of the diapers go? He had to have left them somewhere. This could not be good. Maybe Caleb is involved in something illegal. He had to confront him now.
Noa jumped out of the car and rushed over to Caleb. Caleb almost fell over when he saw his dad approaching him. He had no idea what his father was doing here. At first, he thought his dad surprised him, but things quickly turned from bad to worse.
He Was Anxious
Noa pulled the bag out of Caleb’s hands and opened it. It was completely empty. There wasn’t even any food, drinks, or money in it. Caleb also did not seem like he carried any books with him. Caleb instantly started crying, like he was caught. But he still did not say anything.
Because Noa was so concerned for his son’s safety, he decided he wouldn’t push Caleb. He told the principal he would take him home, which the principal agreed to. Luckily it was one day before the holiday, so Noa could keep an eye on his son. Jessica suggested putting a tracking device in Caleb’s backpack. Noa was hesitant at first, but he wanted to know what his son was up to. They had to figure it out before it was too late. This couldn’t wait any longer.
A Hidden Tracker
For the rest of the holiday, Caleb locked himself in his room because he was grounded. He refused to come out during the day. It even got so bad that he did not want to eat or shower. Caleb even tried to climb out the window once but was caught by Jessica.
Luckily nothing else happened during the holiday. But Caleb, at one point, even stopped speaking to his parents. They had heard him in his room doing something with his backpack. They had already put the tracker inside of it. Did he find it?
He Started Acting Normal
During the last couple of days of the holiday, Caleb acted quite normal. Noa did not trust this. He had the feeling that his son was being very manipulative. He tried acting really nice so that he might be able to go outside with his backpack. But he wasn’t allowed to.
When school started again, they could not keep Caleb inside any longer. They were hesitant to let their son go outside on his own. But they had to. Luckily Caleb had not found the tracking device in his backpack. It was now or never.
They Followed Him Closely
Caleb had stuffed his bag once again. This time it seemed like he packed even more in his backpack. It was crucial that they would get to the bottom of what he was doing today. They followed Caleb at a safe distance. And once again, he got off at the same stop.
Tracking His Location
On the tracking app, they see that he is walking for almost 30 minutes to a remote location. They are absolutely baffled by how far he is walking. They wonder what could be there. Both Noa and Jessica felt really uncomfortable.
They see that he stopped for around 10 minutes at one location and then walked back. This must be the place where he drops the diapers off. Noa told Jessica to wait for a couple of minutes to check out the area. They had to make sure Caleb was gone.
Rundown Part of Town
When going to the location, Noa was in shock. They enter a very old and rundown area of the city. They were now in a really old trailer park. Jessica felt very unsafe. What was their son doing here?
It did not make any sense to them. They had never been to this part of the city. They had explicitly forbidden Caleb from going to this area. There is a lot of criminal activity here in the area. But they had to figure out what Caleb was doing.
Have You Seen My Son?
Noa went up to a couple of trailers. There were still people living in these old trailers. He knocked on a few doors and asked if they had seen Caleb recently. Noa luckily carried a photo of his son with him. After a couple of trailers, he finally got the answer he was looking for.
An old lady opened the door. When seeing the picture of Caleb, it seemed like she knew him. But she asked Noa first what his business was with the boy. She felt she might be set up and that Noa was a police officer she did not trust with the information.
Check Over There
Noa explained that he was looking for his son. The old lady seemed to believe him. She told him Caleb always comes to the trailer park with a full backpack and leaves with an empty one. She doesn’t know what he is doing. But she knows the trailer where he always goes to. So she directs Noa to that one.
Noa and Jessica quickly walk over to the trailer Caleb always visits. Jessica felt her heart pounding in her chest, but she wanted answers right now. She did not hesitate and knocked on the door. Then someone opened it.
A Woman Answered the Door
A young woman opened the door. This is totally not what Noa and Jessica expected. They had no idea who they had in front of them. They introduced themselves but were hesitant to mention Caleb at first. The woman was very quiet.
She was really confused about why two people were in front of her trailer. Noa felt like she definitely had something to hide. They asked if she had seen a young boy recently. But she closed the door on them. This is not what Noa expected.
She Didn’t Want to Talk
The woman did not seem keen to talk to them. People in this area trust no one, and again she probably thought Noa and Jessica were undercover police officers or something. But then Noa mentions he is the father of Caleb.
When mentioning Caleb, something unexpected happens. The woman actually immediately opened the door again. She asks for proof that he is the father of Caleb. Luckily Noa can convince the woman. She now suddenly seems keen to help them.
Come Inside
She instantly lets them in. Before closing the door, she looks around the trailer park to see if someone is watching her. This gave both Jessica and Noa a strange feeling. Who is this woman? Noa now demanded answers.
Coming Clean
The woman asked if they wanted something to drink first. But Caleb just wanted to know what is happening here because he still has no idea. The woman sighed. She said that she had to come clean. She promised Caleb not to tell anyone, but she started talking.
They Met At School
She had met Caleb recently at his school, and they started talking. Although the woman is a bit older than Caleb, they instantly connected. Not in a romantic way, she quickly reassured Noa. They connected as friends and she ended up telling Caleb about her struggles.
Her Struggles
She told Noa and Jessica that she was a single mother and explained that she held multiple jobs just to make ends meet. Even then, it wasn’t enough–especially considering she had a child at 16. She had her child when she was really young but she knew that she was willing to go to the ends of the earth to protect her and raise her well. Caleb admired her resolve and wanted to help.
No Money For Diapers
She was so embarrassed that she could not even afford diapers that she did not want to tell anyone. Caleb promised not to tell anyone. But he also promised to bring her enough diapers for the baby. He also spent the rest of his lunch money on food for the baby. Noa sighed.
He Promised to Keep Her Secret
Caleb was too shy to tell his parents that he was helping a near stranger care for her baby and that was why he ended up acting so reserved around them. This was a huge relief for both Jessica and Noa. They thought their son was involved in something illegal.
Doing Their Part
They loved the fact that Caleb had such a big heart and they wanted to do their part as well. They invited the woman to stay in their guest house and helped her get on her feet. They gave their son a big hug and told him that helping others was never something he needed to feel embarrassed about.
They also thanked Caleb for being such a good person. And with the support of his parents, he managed to get back on track in school and the woman Caleb was helping eventually found a job. To this day, she maintains a great relationship with Caleb and his family and hopes to one day return the kindness they showed her and her daughter.
The events of this story are entirely fictional and are products of the author’s imagination. Images included are meant for illustration purposes only. Any resemblance to actual events, places or persons, living or dead, are entirely coincidental.