Lost Me Gained Regret

Gregory gently wiped away my tears, helped me to my feet, and took the baby from my arms.

"You've got two minutes for tears, any more than that is bad for the eyes."

I reached out and hugged him, rubbing my face against his shoulder, "No more crying."

Gregory patted my back and whispered in my ear, "Help your mom up, will you?"

I let go of him and turned around. As I bent down, my mom was turning her wine glass upside down.

The liquid inside traced a wet line across the floor.

My mom opened her mouth but didn't say anything.

Seeing her trying to get up, I reached out to help her.

She waved me off, "Go talk to your grandma some more, I'll head downstairs."

I still held onto her, "I'm done talking. Let's go home together."

A faint smile tugged at the corners of her lips as we slowly made our way downstairs, arm in arm.

Gregory, holding the baby, followed behind us.

at Elmwood Villas, he skipped the office

your mom

cook as a way to ease the tension between

my mom and I

had moved on, the guilt resurfaced every time grandma was mentioned,

could have been avoided if we hadn't thrown that party, giving Summer

and without planning, we both ended up watching baby Mira in

came out with the dishes, he glanced

raised his eyebrows at me, magically

to my mom, "Mom, let's break free from the chains we've

and the baby, not understanding much yet,

laughed too, gripping

live

Mi

Gregory happy, to watch

grow up."

to see Mira find her

a wild idea struck me, "Mom, you're

you thinking? Do you think

argued. "Any

for so many years, I don't want someone disrupting my routine