“For what happened. For not standing up for you. For letting Lucía—” He stopped. Rubbed his face. “For all of it.”
“You let her try to steal from me.”
“I didn’t know she was going to do that.”
“But you knew she was replacing me.”
He looked up.
“Yes.”
At least he didn’t lie.
“Why?”
“Because she said you’d be fine. That you’d understand. That you’d done enough trips and it was someone else’s turn.”
“And you believed her?”
“I wanted to believe her.”
“Why?”
His voice broke.
“Because it was easier than fighting with her.”
I sat down across from him.
“Javier, do you know what the worst part of this was?”
He shook his head.
“It wasn’t the money. It wasn’t even the trip.”
I leaned forward.
“It was that you said nothing. You stood there and watched her humiliate me, and you said nothing.”
Tears ran down his face.
“I know.”
“I raised you alone after your father died. I worked two jobs so you could go to university. I never missed a single one of your games, your concerts, your graduations. I showed up for you every single day of your life.”
My voice shook.
“And when it mattered, you didn’t show up for me.”
He was sobbing now.
“I’m so sorry, Mom.”
I looked at him.
My son.
The boy I used to hold when he had nightmares.
