I stared at the box in his hands. It was the same set I had struggled to afford. The room spun.
November 29, 2024
I reached for the edge of the table to steady myself, but instead, the tablecloth slipped from my grasp, sending plates and food crashing to the floor.
The last thing I heard before everything went black was Austin shouting, “Mom!”
***
When I came to, paramedics were hovering over me.
“You need to eat better and rest more,” one of them said as they adjusted the IV in my arm.
“I’ll be fine,” I whispered, but the embarrassment was overwhelming.
How could I let this happen?
When I realized I couldn’t afford the ambulance bill, shame washed over me, but Roy stepped forward.
“I’ve got it,” he said quietly, leaving no room for argument. Later, after everyone had calmed down, I broke. Tears streamed down my face as Roy sat beside me.
I confessed everything—how exhausted I was, how hard I had tried to prove myself, and how much I missed Austin.
“Emma, you don’t have to do this alone. Because we’re both Austin’s parents. Accepting help isn’t a weakness.” Jill also surprised me by talking to me.
“I grew up in a blended family. My stepmom became my biggest support. I don’t want to replace you, Emma.
I just want to be part of Austin’s life.”
Austin stayed close to me the rest of the evening, squeezing my hand and whispering, “I miss you, Mom. I miss us.”
***
We decided together not to divide him anymore. Austin could always have his home with me.
We even exchanged Jill’s duplicate gift for a different LEGO set Austin wanted.
That Christmas, we celebrated as a family, imperfect but together. It wasn’t the Christmas I had planned, but it was the one we all needed.
Source: amomama
