My son is 22 years old, and his girlfriend just moved in with us.

Initially, I tried to be fair — I wanted to give them space to grow, to build their lives.

However as the weeks went on, I noticed the bills rising and the quiet tension in the house.

I began to feel more like a host than a parent.

So one evening, I finally told him, “If she’s going to live here, she needs to contribute.”

He looked at me strangely, like I’d missed something important.

“Mom,” he said softly, “didn’t she tell you?”

My heart skipped a beat when I braced myself for the worst.

He added, “She’s been paying part of the groceries and utilities all along — she just didn’t want to make it awkward.”

I stood there, speechless, realizing how quickly I had judged the situation.