blurted it out, and the room fell silent. Mom told me it wasn’t my place. Michael almost left, but I stopped him.Outside, Michael opened up: he pushed me at work because he saw potential, not to hurt me. I confessed I hated him for it, but realized I couldn’t control who made my mom happy.We returned together, and the ceremony began. Mom’s joy was radiant, and Michael’s speech included a heartfelt

thanks to me for pushing him to be better.At the reception, Mom asked if I was really okay. I nodded. For the first time, I didn’t feel like I was losing her—I felt like I was finally meeting her. The distance between us began to shrink, replaced by a fragile hope. Maybe this new chapter was not just hers, but ours to share.