Until I Finally Watched What He Was Doing

“Mom… you’re not leaving again, right?”

I pulled her close.

“No,” I said. “I’m right here.”

Later, Nancy showed me a drawing.

Three figures, standing together.

“Us,” she said.

I smiled.

“Us.”

Because that’s what this was always about.

Not control.
Not appearances.

Us.

Liam didn’t need the nannies gone.

He needed me to doubt myself.

But I didn’t.