SS has two art projects due by the end of the week. He had 6 in total. He’s done 4, but now he has two left to do and time is running short. We even got an email from his art teacher politely reminding us of this and that she is available at lunch hour and after school if SS needs help.

Immediately after supper last night (of which he only ate ¾ of it; but I suppose that is normal for him) he asked to be excused so he can continue to work on his art projects. We allowed him and he went into his room and closed the door.

I was immediately suspicious.

I told DW that it is not like him to go into his room to do his work and close the door behind him. Normally he’ll want to hang out with us even after he has finished eating as much as possible before one of us sends him to his room to finish his homework. DW said that she’ll check up on him later.

I had a mountain of dishes to do. DW had some folded piles of laundry that she was trying to put away while keeping BS and BD occupied. SS was still in his room behind the closed door for about 20 minutes. Again, this is unusual. It is not like him to sequester himself. Normally he wants to be where the “action” is. I asked DW if she went to check up on him and she said no, so I went, still holding a wet pot and a dishtowel in my hand. I knocked on the door once and opened it.

SS was lying on his bed playing on his iPad.

I saw red.

I snatched the iPad out of his hand and I screamed. So much so, I was shaking. Now don’t ask me why I did this, but I took his iPad and tossed it in the pot I was holding. It just seemed like the right thing for me to do in this situation. I told him that if I catch him pulling this stunt again, his iPad is going up on ebay (although my actions made it look like I was about to boil it and serve it with carbonara sause).

SS starts to cry.

DW comes running to see what the commotion is.

“What’s going on?” DW asked.

“Drac0 yelled at me!” SS replies.

“Oh really?” DW says. “And why did Drac0 yell at you?”

SS shrugs his shoulders and I fill in all the “missing details”.

DW doesn’t get angry with SS but said something I never thought I would hear her say.

“Drac0 has every right to be furious with you and yell at you.”

SS was still sobbing and acting like an abused child. DW told him to cut it out and that he is only making matters worse for himself. SS then says that he can’t work on his art project anymore because he has a headache. So DW told him to take some Tylenol. SS doesn’t want to take the pills so DW suggests he go take a hot shower instead. SS does so, and just goes straight to bed afterwards.

The next morning, SS was whining that he was still feeling sick. DW wouldn’t hear any of it and told him to get to dressed and go to school.

This morning, I receive a text from SS (he can’t contact DW because DW can’t answer her cell when she is on the job).

Here is text convo:

SS: Im feeling dizzy. Feel like im going to throwup.

Drac0: Did you go see the nurse?

SS: No

Drac0: Go see the nurse. Have her call me if she senses something is wrong.

This was three hours ago. Haven’t heard a peep from either SS or the nurse.