Ok so I would really appreciate it if some of y’all would give me advice on what to do in this situation. It’s a very long story, so I apologize if it’s too much to read.

So about 6 months ago I bought this machine online, it was like this slimming machine that you use with ultrasound gel because I was having a little trouble with getting rid of fat in some places. I used it with my dad’s credit card, it was about $80.

I was 17 when I got the machine. I’m an authorized user of my father’s credit card and he’s perfectly okay with me getting things for myself that I really need or want as long as I don’t overspend. I rarely get anything online except from time to time, but it’s usually never over $40.

I got the machine in the mail. It came in a white box that said “Skincare” on it. I had that box lying around my room for months and never got the chance to use it because I was busy with school and other drama in my life. I put somewhere that I knew I could find it when I was ready to use it. About a month ago, during quarantine, I decided I was ready to use it. After all, I had plenty of time on my hands.

I was actually excited because I had found a video online on how to use it, I had a guide and everything. When I looked in the spot I put it, it was gone. I thought maybe I had put it somewhere else and just didn’t remember, so I searched my room entirely and it wasn’t there. I asked my father about it, describing what the box looked like and told him what was inside in case he moved it for whatever reason.

When I told him what was inside though, I lied and told him it was a machine for my acne instead of for getting rid of fat. I felt embarrassed to tell him that because it was more personal. He said he hadn’t moved it, and I believed him because he had no reason to. We checked other rooms in the house just in case.

My grandma lives with us and he said that either she could’ve taken it, or he might’ve accidentally put it in the storage room of our apartment. It was late so I told him we could look for it the next day. The next day we checked in there and it was no where to be seen. I was going to ask my grandma if she took it, but I guess I had just made the conclusion that she didn’t because she’s never in my room and had no reason to take anything out of it ( with my dad it’s different because we sometimes do house projects together ).

I had finally convinced myself that I had just lost it and it had to be around the house somewhere. I knew it would turn up eventually, but I was still pretty upset because I could’ve sworn that I put it in a place where I knew I would come back to it.

Fast forward to today, a month or two after I thought had lost it. I was at my mother’s house ( my parents are separated so I spend time at each house on certain days ) and we had my grandma over to celebrate Mother’s Day. I had gotten them each gifts that I’ve shopped for with my dad. ( I’ve checked my mom’s house too for the machine, which there’s a less likely chance of it being ).

My grandmother was about to leave and before I walked her out I had to use the bathroom. I used my mom’s because my grandma was using mine, and guess what I see? The machine. It’s on the counter, opened, for everyone who goes in that bathroom to see. It wasn’t there earlier.

I was so confused in that moment, I had to make sure that it was the same one I ordered, and it was. I was so confused because my mom is never in my father’s apartment. My initial thought was that I did take it over to her house and she found it. I asked her about it without making it seem like it was mine, because I didn’t want anyone to know that I had bought that for myself.

I believe I asked her “you found the machine I bought for you?” and she replied “what? Oh no grandma got me that.” I lied to her saying that I had bought that for her a while ago but lost it, and that grandma had brought it over from my dad’s ( which is mostly true except I bought it for myself ).

I went back to my room and I was furious. I couldn’t believe that my grandma took something from my room, which wasn’t even in plain sight, meaning she was snooping, and gave it to my mother saying that she had bought it. I got that machine because I was lacking confidence at the time and I’m still struggling with my body image, but I’m working out every week to get slimmer ( I have problem areas ).

Knowing my grandma, she probably didn’t even know what it was? I don’t know!! I have no idea why she would do that. Maybe she thinks she bought it and it somehow ended up in my room? I know she meant well and wanted to give my mom a gift ( even thought it’s been missing for a while so it probably wasn’t even taken for that reason ), but I had already gotten her several things that she needed and really liked and said it was on behalf of all of us ( me, my dad, and my grandma ). I didn’t even know my grandma gave her something, which was mine.

My mom actually sounded happy about that gift, but I had gotten her something similar last year that she never even used. I don’t even think that my grandmother gave it to her today, because when I asked my mom about it she said she was planning on getting ultrasound gel for it, but she made it sound like she’s had it for a while. I don’t even think this was given to her as a Mother’s Day gift?! It was just given to her at some point in the past 6 months just because?

I’m really upset because something that I had gotten for myself and for my own care had been stolen from me. I don’t think my grandma meant any harm, she’s old and she probably did think she bought it when she was snooping in my room for whatever reason. I’ve also spent a lot of time with my dad looking for it and I was really upset at myself for a while for losing something that was of high value (only I didn’t even lose it!)

I don’t know what to do. Should I let my mom keep it? It’s not like I can just take it back right? I don’t want to tell anyone that it’s mine, it’s embarrassing to me and even if I did come clean to my mom, she would tell other people that she’s close with ( I’m the #1 topic of any conversation that she has with family members, everything is overshared ).

This is something meant for me to use privately. I don’t think I can just sneak it back because she would know it’s gone and she would probably think I took it because I was asking about it earlier. My lead right now is just using it and putting it back? Is that even sanitary for both of us to use? Will she even use a machine like this? She didn’t use the one I got her last year, but again she sounded like she was planning on using this. I really don’t want to spend another $80. I just wish that this hadn’t happened.

What do I do?