o Leo's room to wake him for s

as a small, black star-projector, castin

, sweetie?" I asked, sitt

," he mumbled. "She said now I can look a

ne. Maya had been in my

" I asked, trying to

me. "Grandma brought her over while you

hug Leo when I got home

he said, wrin

leaned in to smell my own jacket

cusatory. "Mommy, you drink too much. Ma

glass of wine with a

y to you?" I asked, my

not looking at me. "She said she wishes she could be

from a six-year-old. But they we

gainst me, and the enemy

da announced she was invit

iend w

a stark contrast to her usual drab work

Brenda gushed, taking the pie

d into my kitchen, found one of my a

she said with a warm smile. "Oliv

ghter-in-law, the perfect homemaker, in my own

v?" he said to me. "

, an unwelcome guest a

, the nightm

to let me cu

it!" he whined, pushing

ned over, cutting his food

o, sweet boy

night," Leo announced to the table, looking dire

my plate. My face bur

ust aren't made for motherhood, dear. Th

endorsement of the entire, horrifying performance.

next day, at a crucial board meeti

two slides. I quoted the wrong user acquisition cost. It wa

alking to the front of the room. His voice was full of

ed the presentation, casting me a look of pi

hispers. The looks of doubt. I had commanded this room for years, a

he was doing it at work, in front of th

ck. I felt hollowed out

for a moment of connection, a reminde

with his Lego

d, honey," I

ust sighed, a deep, exa

id, his small voice shar

pered, my voice break

bricks scattered across the floor with a clatter that sound

o me, pulling his bl

by the ruins of his Lego creation. My c

o alone. I had not