Chapter 13 - No Audience
I didn’t answer my mother that night.
The next morning, I sent one message.
Dad isn’t part of this conversation. When you can discuss what happened without attacking Mia, we can arrange a meeting.
She replied six hours later.
Fine. Let’s meet.
I asked Mia what she wanted.
“Not here.”
“Okay.”
“And I’m not going so she can call me sensitive for an hour.”
“You don’t have to go at all.”
Mia looked toward Nico’s crib.
“I want her to hear me once when I’m not trapped in her son’s house.”
“Our house,” I said.
She nodded.
“Our house.”
We met in Celia’s apartment the following Saturday.
Ben and his wife watched Nico for an hour. Mia checked her phone twice before we went upstairs.
Mom sat on the sofa with tissues already in her hand.
Celia stayed nearby at Mia’s request.
I put the hospital discharge papers on the table.
Mom glanced at them.
“You don’t need props.”
“They’re medical records.”
“I know what they are.”
Mia sat across from her.
“Then you know I wasn’t pretending.”
Mom twisted a tissue.
“I never said you were pretending.”
“You called me a drama queen while I was unconscious.”
Her eyes moved to me.
“I heard you,” I said.
Silence.
Mia leaned forward.
“I’m not asking whether you meant to hurt me. I’m asking whether you understand what you did.”
“I expected you to keep a home.”
“I had just given birth.”
“So had I once.”
“And you deserved help, too.”
Mom blinked.
For a second, her face softened.
Then she looked away.
“Nobody helped me.”
Mia’s voice stayed steady.
“That should have made you kinder.”
Celia lowered her eyes.
Mom pressed the tissue against her mouth.
“I thought she was pulling you away from me,” she said to me.
“So you made her afraid to call me?”
“I didn’t think it would go that far.”
“How far did you think it should go?” Mia asked.
Nobody moved.
Mom began crying.
Mia waited.
I waited with her.
The tears slowed when nobody rushed forward to stop them.
Finally, Mom looked at my wife.
“I was angry that he listened to you.”
Mia gave a small, stunned shake of her head.
“He didn’t.”
The room went quiet.
“He didn’t listen,” she said again. “That’s why I ended up on the floor.”
Then Mia stood.
Mom reached toward her.
“Wait. Please.”
May you like
Mia stopped beside the door.
For once, my mother would have to say something before anyone came back.
