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She pressed her shaking hands to her mouth and blinked back her own tears before looking his way, a begging expression clear on her face. “I should have let him go. Now he hates me.”
“No, he doesn’t. The boy’s disappointed, is all. You replied without asking him anything about the request. Just said no. He needs to know why you refused. And then he has to figure out if he should state his reasons for wanting to go or leave the matter alone. But you never gave him the chance to say anything.”
“I made Roy’s invitation sound insincere. I didn’t mean to. I’m a terrible mother.” She sniffed first and then let out a small sob. “I don’t know what to do, how to talk to him, what to say. Ruby always did the mothering. I just loved him from behind the scene.”
“Where it was safe. Where you couldn’t get hurt.”
She swung his way. “You don’t know me.” Her anger grew. “How dare you say that?”
He didn’t retreat. Rather, he leaned into her space and watched her blue dazzlers grow huge “Because, it’s true. Quit protecting yourself over the needs of your son. Take a few chances. If he hurts your feelings, pull up your big-girly thongs and get on with it. You’re his mom, for Christ’s sake. Act like it. Now go and talk to him and find out why this treat means so much to him, and make your decision based on that. And… just so you know, I spent my entire childhood in that garage and it’s a fascinating way for a little guy to pass time. And… Roy and Les never let anything bad happen to me, so I’m sure they can be relied on to take care of Kean.”
He stopped there. Ignored the pain on her face and left her to decide what she would do.
By the time he’d told Roy to give it a little while and had parked the mower in the garage, Kean came running out of the house. His small face was lit with excitement and his globby eyes had been wiped, leaving streaks on his smiles. “I can go. Mom said okay.” He skidded to a stop in front of Roy and Sloan. Then he turned and waved.
Alia stopped at the door and waved back to him, her own track of tears blackened slightly with mascara… her smile enormous.
