“I… I’m not sure,” he replied, looking genuinely bewildered. “Mom must have been more out of it than I realized. She kept asking me to help her with something last night, but I was half-asleep myself.”

His explanation was vague, and I was not entirely convinced. But there was a sincerity in his eyes that made me want to believe him. Still, the lipstick stain remained a glaring reminder that there was more to the story.

“Let’s get her up and make sure she’s okay,” I suggested, choosing to address the immediate concern while leaving the conversation about the lipstick for later.