I didn’t want to go with my mama. Something about her behavior set me on edge. She was acting so… strange. Kind. Loving. Words I’d never associate with her.
Growing up, Mama made it clear I wasn’t wanted. She reminded me daily that I was a mistake—a burden she never wanted to carry. So why was she suddenly trying to act like she cared?
The memory of her cold words and sharp stares lingered in my mind. She had never once hesitated to cut me down to make sure I knew I wasn’t worth the space I took up. Yet now, she stood in the doorway, her smile soft, her tone sweet as honey.
“Aleksi, sweetheart, come with me. There’s something I want to show you,” she cooed, her voice unfamiliar, like she was trying on someone else’s skin.
I crossed my arms, leaning back against the wall. “What are you
