across the water.
“And because of that,” she said quietly, “we assumed you didn’t need us.”
That sentence landed harder than any apology.
Because it explained everything.
Not excused it.
Explained it.
Strong children often become invisible.
Responsible children become convenient.
Reliable children become taken for granted.
My mother stared at the lake.
“You deserved better.”
Maybe I did.
Maybe every child deserves parents who love them equally.
Maybe life doesn’t always provide that.
The important thing was understanding something I had spent years missing.
Their treatment of me was
