AITJ for calling my friend’s emergency contact when she left her kid with me “for 20 minutes” and vanished?
My friend “Kayla” (29F) asked if i could watch her 6 year old son for “like 20 minutes” while she ran into a store near my place. I said yes because i’ve known her for years and i’ve watched him before, he’s a good kid. She showed up, dropped him off with his tablet and a snack, and said she’d be right back. About 40 minutes later i texted her a simple “hey everything ok?” No reply. An hour passes, i call. Straight to voicemail. I start getting that hot panic feeling because i’m not his parent and i dont know what’s going on.
Her son starts asking when mom is coming back and i’m trying to keep it light, like “soon bud” while i’m also refreshing my phone like a maniac. I texted again, then again. Still nothing. At the 2 hour mark i’m honestly scared something happened, but i’m also pissed because this is not “20 minutes” anymore. I also had plans later and i’d basically been volunteered into childcare with no end time.
I finally looked at the little info card she once left in her bag (emergency contact and pediatrician, stuff like that) and called the emergency contact, her older sister. I didnt call to get her in trouble, i called because i didnt know if Kayla was in a car accident or had passed out or what. Her sister answered immediately and sounded confused, then went quiet and said, “Wait she told you twenty minutes?” Apparently Kayla had texted her earlier that she was “going to look at a car” with a guy she’s been seeing and “might be out a while.” So she used me as a free babysitter so she could go do this, and just chose not to tell me. Her sister drove over and picked the kid up, and she was polite but i could tell she was annoyed too. About 30 minutes after that, Kayla finally calls me furious, saying i embarrassed her and made her look like a bad mom. She said her phone died and she “lost track of time.”
I asked why she didnt plug it in, or why she didnt just say she needed a couple hours. She said because i would’ve said no, and she “really needed this.” She also said i had no right to involve her family, and now her sister is “judging” her. I told her i’m not a drop off zone and i’m not comfortable being lied to about someone’s kid. She’s telling mutual friends i overreacted and that i’m dramatic for calling her sister instead of just waiting. AITJ for calling the emergency contact when she disappeared?
TL;DR: Friend said 20 minutes, left her kid with me for hours, ignored calls, i called her emergency contact, now she says i humiliated her.
