Ryan brought lunch and carried boxes only where Mom told him to. I reached for one of her bags, then stopped myself.
Moving day came faster than I expected.
“Do you want help with that?”
Mom looked at me for a second.
“Yes.”
So I took it.
I had never wanted to control Mom.
After losing Dad, I was terrified of losing her too. Somewhere along the way, that fear had started making decisions for both of us.
“Do you want help with that?”
At noon, Mom climbed into the Toyota.
I leaned toward her window.
“Drive safe.”
“I will.”
I hesitated. “And Mom?”
Mom climbed into the Toyota.
She looked at me.
“I’m sorry I made being worried about you feel like you couldn’t breathe.”
Her face softened.
“I know why you did it.”
“That doesn’t mean I did it well.”
Mom nodded.
“I know why you did it.”
