Thirteen-year-old Thomas loved his Saturday cafe ritual with friends. For his mother,
Gloria, the weekly outing was a stark reminder of the growing chasm between them. She longed for the days when she and her son were inseparable, and hoped a shared love for superhero movies might bridge the gap.
So, when Gloria showed up at the cafe to invite Thomas to a movie he’d mentioned, she was met with instant mortification. His friends’ cruel jokes about her looking like his grandmother—a particularly sharp jab, given Gloria adopted him at 42—cut her to the core. Thomas, visibly embarrassed, coldly dismissed her, telling her to leave.
Devastated, Gloria returned home and channeled her heartbreak into cooking his favorite meal: spaghetti and meatballs. She reflected on their once-unbreakable bond, wondering where she’d gone wrong. That night, Thomas came home late, walked past her without a word, leaving Gloria alone with her uneaten dinner and shattered heart.