Perfect Mom

VIVIENNE

No matter how much I tried to be a good mother, there were times I’d fail without even meaning to. It wasn’t that I didn’t care or wasn’t paying attention. I really did my best every day. But being a mom was hard, and sometimes I fell short. This was one of those times. I knew I’d failed Vince when I didn’t believe him.

I couldn’t shake the guilt, no matter how much I told myself that everyone made mistakes. Vince was my son, and he deserved to feel trusted and heard. I’d brushed off his words as if they didn’t matter, and that weighed heavily on my heart.

As we walked into the house, Ezekiel leaned close, looking over to make sure Vince was out of earshot. He lowered his voice to a quiet whisper.

“You know,” he began using his gentle tone, “I think you owe him an apology.”

I sighed, feeling the weight of his words settle on my shoulders.

“I know,” I murmured back. “I just… I feel terrible. I don’t even know how to begin.”

Ezekiel gave me a small, encouraging smile.

“Jus