“I was frustrated with what she was doing, not with who she is.”
Mia’s face crumpled.
“It cost Mom too much.”
I almost cried, not gonna lie.
“She worked four extra Saturdays,” Mia added. “Grandma made her dinners because she got home late. Mom hasn’t even bought new shoes since spring.”
Everything I’d considered proof that Mia understood our situation suddenly looked different.
“Mom hasn’t even bought new shoes since spring.”
She had understood the cost, then somehow decided it belonged to her too.
Mia wiped her face.
“I’m sorry, Mom.”
There it was again.
Apologizing because I was upset.
Trying to make herself smaller before I’d even asked her to.
I took her hands.
“Did you have fun?”
She blinked. “What?”
She had understood the cost, then somehow decided it belonged to her too.
“Camp. Did you have fun?”
Mia nodded.
“A lot?”
Another nod. “Yeah.”
I pulled her against me.
