My 12 y.o. had a mother-and-son dinner at school. I took time off work, but my heart broke when my son said his step-mom was going instead. I still showed up, but he ignored me all night. Later, my ex called, and I could hear my son crying. Turns out…he hadn’t chosen his step-mom over me at all. He thought I was too busy and didn’t want to “bother” me by asking me to come. His step-mom, trying to help, told him she would go if I couldn’t. Somewhere along the way, he misunderstood and believed I didn’t want to be there—something that couldn’t be further from the truth. When I showed up anyway, confusion and hurt built a wall between us, and I didn’t know how to reach him in that moment.
When my ex called later that night, I heard my son sobbing in the background, and my heart squeezed. He told his dad that he thought I didn’t like events like that, and he didn’t want to disappoint me by asking. Hearing his little voice tremble broke me. All I ever wanted was to be present for him, to show him love and support in every way I could. Somehow, life’s complicated emotions had made him doubt that, even for a moment.
