She sighed.
“I kept telling myself I was helping my son become successful.”
Her eyes moved toward Chloe.
“Maybe all I taught him was that somebody else would always absorb the consequences when he made a bad choice.”
It was the first time I had ever heard Barbara question herself as a mother.
Not long after that, Eric came to her house without warning while Chloe and I were visiting.
He walked inside already frustrated.
“Tell Claire she’s being ridiculous.”
Barbara continued stirring her coffee.
“No.”
Eric stared at her.
“Mom.”
“No.”
“You’re supposed to be on my side. You’re my mother.”
Barbara finally looked at him.
“Exactly.”
That answer seemed to leave him with nowhere to go.
Then he noticed Chloe sleeping nearby.
His expression changed.
He stood there looking at her.
For once, nobody helped him.
Nobody explained what to say.
Nobody softened the moment.
