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looked very unhappy with Sabrina’s presence at the dinner table. I took a breath, trying to control my feelings. I knew this wasn’t the right time for a long argument, but I felt like I couldn’t keep quiet any longer.
“That’s enough,” I said, looking at the two women firmly. Sabrina was invited because she’s Charlie’s mother too. And she deserves to be here, just like the rest of us. If you can’t respect that, I beg you, please reconsider,” I said in a deeper tone, trying to emphasize the importance of Sabrina’s presence in Charlie’s life.
There was a long silence after my words. Hazel looked at me in confusion, still upset, while my mother–in–law remained silent, not knowing what to say, Charlie, who was still in Sabrina’s arms, finally lifted his face and said, “Mom, I love you.”
Sabrina lowered her head, her eyes filled with tears, and she replied, “I love you too, honey,” while stroking Charlie’s hair. I saw Sabrina smile, although her smile seered sad. That’s what made my heart feel even heavier. Sabrina and Charlie deserved to be together, they deserved to have each other.
I looked at Hazel and my mother, then said softly, “I want us all to be calm. This is not the time to fight. Charlie needs all of us. If you can’t accept it, I can leave. But I hope you understand.”
Everyone was silent. Only Charlie’s voice was heard, still chattering happily with the new robot he received. I don’t know what will happen after this, but at that moment I knew, there were many things I had to fix. And maybe, this time I should listen to what Sabrina needed.
I felt tension in the air, even though Charlie’s cheerful voice filled the room. This moment was a crucial one, not just for me, but for our family. “Sabrina,” I said softly, trying to bring everyone’s attention to her. “What are you. thinking? We want to hear from you.”
Sabrina looked at me, her eyes gleaming with unspoken emotion. She sighed, perhaps hesitant to share. On the other hand, I could feel the great hope within all of us; we wanted to find a way out of this, and wanted to bridge the gap between us.
“Because this is for Charlie,” I continued firmly but gently. “We all know how happy he is right now. We have to try to come together for him. What do we need to do to make everyone feel heard?”
With my words laced with hope, the atmosphere began to lighten. Mom finally spoke up, “I just want the best for him. But I’m afraid we’re making mistakes in the process.
my son?”
Hazel replied, “Oh, you’re just good at talking. What do you know about my
“Hazel!” I reprimanded Hazel.
I felt the knot in my chest start to tighten.
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