This theme isn't just fiction. In early 2025, actress Tori Spelling faced a massive public backlash after posting a photo on Instagram where her 7-year-old son, Beau, was giving her a massage in exchange for allowance. The photo showed Spelling lying face down with her bare back out while her son sat on the bed massaging her legs. "Comedians that have families, kids, they can post anything and people are like, 'They are kidding,'" Spelling later explained on her podcast, defending herself against accusations of inappropriate behavior. "But if an actor posts something… 'She's a horrible mom.'"
The "special" nature of the massage in the keyword is the crux. In the adult world, "special" is a coded word for sexual services. In the real world, "special" means taking the time to care for someone who sacrificed everything for you.