Side Chick Era... Over

Loving Mom 338

Matty’s clear eyes quietly settled on Theo.

“No matter if we come in first or dead last… no matter how Sharon loes… I’ll never feel embarrassed by her. Not ever.”

Theo glared at him. “Hmph! We’ll see if you still say that when you make a fool of yourself! When you lose, don’t come crying like a baby, you little brat!”

He hadn’t always felt this ashamed of his mom. But ever since Kelly came back, his mom just kept embarrassing herself.

Especially at his birthday party, when she got into an argument with one of Nate’s friends. Everyone had watched like spectators at a circus, whispering, laughing behind their hands.

He heard the uncles and aunties muttering that his mom wasil’t presentable, wasn’t the type you could bring to formal events. “No wonder,” they had said. “No wonder your daddy always takes Kelly to social gatherings instead.”

Back then, he hadn’t switched to the new kindergarten yet. Everyone knew Sharon was his mother.

By the very next day, word had spread. Everyone in class knew what had happened at his birthday.

The other kids laughed at him, saying his mom was embarrassing saying he was a hillbilly’s son. Even the kids who used to be his friends started avoiding him. He got isolated.

Thankfully, it wasn’t long before he transferred to a new school.

knew who his mom was. His grades were excellent;

his side at school events, he

that feeling. He liked it

strange emptiness inside

if only Mom

smiled. “Theo, if there’s nothing else, shall we head

Theo nodded eagerly. “Yeah.”

gaze dark and unreadable,

Kelly… You wrongly accused Sharon.

as if nothing had happened. “Sharon may be Theo’s mother, but she took him without informing anyone. I believe the one who owes an apology

direct. “But Theo already explained. He followed us on his own. And just now, didn’t you say Theo never lies? Or did you forget

caught

but it wasn’t warm. It was the kind of smile that curled at the edges like a

Is it that you simply don’t apologize? Or is it that you refuse to apologize to Sharon in particular? Is this the example you want to

like quiet thunder, their weight settling heavily in the space between

expressions shifted, stiff

with wide, expectant eyes. If they refused… how could they ever teach him about right