An old male friend of my mother contacted her after decades. My father had died years earlier, and she seemed excited. I became suspicious and convinced myself the man wanted money.
I discouraged her repeatedly until she cancelled the meeting. The man died the following year. I later learned from another relative that he had simply wanted to reconnect with old friends after becoming ill. My mother doesn't blame me because she doesn't know the full story. I still wonder if my protectiveness stole a final goodbye from her.