“This is real?”
A nervous laugh escaped him.
“Very real.”
“You really did this.”
“Yeah.”
My eyes filled.
“You scared me half to death.”
His expression collapsed.
“I know.”
“I thought I’d lost you.”
“I’m sorry.”
“No, Grant. I mean I truly thought something terrible had happened.”
“I know, Mom.”
His voice broke.
“I’m so sorry.”
That was when I started crying again.
Not the quiet tears I had shed alone at my dining table.
These were different.
Messier.
Heavier.
Grant stepped forward and wrapped his arms around me.
At first, gently.
Then tightly.
“I’m here,” he whispered.
I held him.
“I’m here, Mom.”
And for the first time that evening, I believed it.
Part 6 — Showing Up
Behind us, Sarah began crying.
“I’m sorry too, Mom.”
Mark stepped closer.
“We all are.”
Jason looked down.
“We really messed this up.”
Eliza wrapped an arm around my waist.
“We wanted everything to be perfect.”
I wiped my face.
“That’s the problem.”
They looked at me.
“Life isn’t perfect.”
