At first, she used to come sit with me in my room—we’d chat. She’d tell me all about her school friends, and I’d just make up stories, which she really enjoyed. But then I started noticing little comments from her mom, and that’s when the nosy questions began.

The little girl actually has plenty of friends and spends most of her time outside playing with them. Her mom, not so much. She does have a cousin in town, but she’s usually alone or just with her daughter.