07
As Gavin watched me walk away so calmly, you could practically see the steam coming out
of his ears.
Finally, I found Mia, pulling out the cookies I’d made for her.
The little girl’s face lit up. “Wow, Godmother, you’re amazing! These are the best cookies I’ve
ever had!”
As she spoke, she shared them with her classmates, who praised her in return.
“Mia, your Godmother is so nice! I’m so jealous of you!”
She beamed. “Of course! Not only can my Godmother cook delicious food, but she also does
research in medicine! She saves lives. How cool is that?”
Seeing the pride radiate from Mia warmed my heart in a way I’d never experienced with
Barry. I remembered a time when a teacher had told me he hadn’t eaten lunch at school. I had
rushed to make lunch and juice, only to watch him dump the entire meal in the trash right in
front of me, throwing a fit.
I don’t want your cheap food! I want to eat at the restaurant Ms. Bloom took me to! And don’t
13:06 Tue, 24 Dec M
his classmates, feeling embarrassed by me.
47%
Soon, the sports meet was about to kick off, and I settled into the stands to cheer for Mia. It
was a mixed relay race, and suddenly, I spotted the first runner on the opposing team. It was
Barry, stretching and bouncing with an intensity that screamed confidence.
Barry had always been competitive, determined to be the best at everything. As a mother,
I tried to steer him toward understanding that winning wasn’t everything; happiness was what truly mattered.
“Barry, it doesn’t matter if you come in first. What counts is that you enjoy yourself,” I had told
him once.
But he had scowled at me. “I want to win! Just like Ms. Bloom. I guess that’s why you’re so
useless, living off Dad.”
His disdainful expression mirrored Gavin’s so perfectly it made my stomach turn.
Not far away, Gavin and Lisa were fixated on Barry, preparing to congratulate him as the gun
went off.
I turned my attention back to Mia, focusing on her as the race unfolded. Before long, the race concluded, and predictably, Barry took first place. Without missing a beat, Gavin and Lisa rushed
to his side.
At that moment, Barry spotted me. He was initially surprised; a triumphant grin spread
across his face as if he were waiting for my praise.
Unfortunately for him, I just brushed past them, unfazed.
They watched, wide–eyed, as I made my way to the little girl in the corner. Mia had a long
face from losing the race, and I gently comforted her.
“Mia, you did great!”
She looked up, unconvinced. “Really?”
“Absolutely. As long as you gave it your all, that’s what counts. Let’s head home! I will make you something delicious!”
At the mere mention of food, Mia’s eyes sparkled. “Yay! That sounds amazing!”
Just as I took her hand to leave, Gavin’s voice rang out, full of irritation.
“Freya, what’s going on here? Can’t you see your son won first place? But instead of celebrating him, you’re tending to someone else’s kid. Are you out of your mind?”
Lisa chimed in with feigned concern, “Freya, that’s where you’re wrong. Where does a
mother’s dignity lie? Such actions will only wound Barry’s heart.”
