A child loves their parents, it is unconditional, that is to say the parent could be the worst parent ever, but the child will keep loving the parent. The child will invent a better parent to talk about if need be, the child will only see the good never the bad. I would not wish the pain of realisation on anyone, for anything. It is inevitable when the child starts to become an adult the parent stops being so great, the rose tinted glasses become clear glass, with perfect focus. But the child does not stop loving. Often my thoughts are of that inevitable time in my son's future when he will start to understand that her reasons,  for not always being there for him and forgetting his birthday and Christmas, and so on, and so on, were just excuses for her shortcomings.

I was prepared,  and am still prepared to perpetuate the myth for the sake of his happiness. All I can be is there for him ready to catch him if he falls. On the other hand it could be that he already knows about his mum and her short comings, I have no way of knowing because he just does not discuss his mother with me, nor with anyone else we know. If I try to start a conversation about her he quickly changes the subject, or tells me to stop asking questions. What he feels I think,  is far in advance of how he can articulate,  and when his ability to talk catches up with  what he probably already understands and feels very deeply, then I will be there for him. Meantime while she  was living in the city I would just continue to dodge and weave, and hope he did not get hit.

As it was,  her time in Scotland was relativity short, after about 18 months she told me she was returning to her own country the U.S.A. In that short time she had lived in 12 different places,  had I think five different jobs,  and at least two boyfriends. I did not believe she was leaving, it was just too good to be true,  but then she was leaving a trail of destruction, unpaid rent and bills, stalking ex boyfriend, and her reputation as a decent employee was wearing thin,  her best choice was probably to get the hell out of dodge. I still contacted her sister in the States just to be sure she was expected on the other side of the pond.

Like a lot of autistic children, were their emotions are involved,  my son excepted the situation with little fuss, almost in a matter of fact way. Almost as if he expected it of her, it is possible she had been preparing him for her move for some time, I would not be surprised.