“Lily, baby…”
“Before you panic, it’s not all of it. I planned this for months. Budgeted everything. I’m not being reckless.”
Tears streamed down my face.
“I watched you after Dad died,” she added. “You were broken, too. I saw it. But you never let me see you fall apart because you thought you had to hold it together for me.”
“I planned this for months.”
“You needed me to…”
“I needed you to take care of yourself, too.” Her voice cracked. “But you never did. You worked double shifts. You drove me everywhere. You paid for everything. You put off doctor’s appointments and haircuts and every single thing you wanted because you were too busy making sure I had everything I needed.”
I reached for her hand. “You’re my kid. That’s what parents do.”
“Exactly.” She squeezed back. “You’re my Mom. Not by law. Not by blood. By choice. Every single day, you chose me.”
“I needed you to take care of yourself too.”
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