I was sitting quietly at a table with my 5-year-old son at my sister’s wedding. Suddenly, he grabbed my arm and whispered, «Mom…

In the parking lot of the Grand Harbor, a long-established hotel in the Boston suburbs, Emily Chambers gripped the hand of her five-year-old son Jacob tightly. The October afternoon sun warmly illuminated her black dress. Today was her sister Sophia’s wedding day.

Mommy, is my tie okay? Jacob asked, touching his chest with his small hand. Perfect, Jacob. You look very handsome, Emily said, giving her son a gentle kiss on the cheek.

Since losing her husband Michael in a car accident three years ago, Jacob had been her only family. Well, technically, her mother Margaret and sister Sophia, who would be welcoming them today, were also family, but in the three years since losing Michael, Emily had come to realize painfully that blood ties and heart connections weren’t necessarily the same thing. As they stepped into the hotel lobby, the voices of relatives they hadn’t seen in a long time echoed throughout.

Aunt Dorothy was the first to spot Emily and came rushing over with exaggerated gestures. Emily. It’s been so long.

My goodness, you’ve gotten so thin. Are you eating properly? Yes, I’m fine. You look well yourself.

Emily smiled. Over the past three years, she had been working at a small accounting firm while raising her son and had indeed lost weight. However, it wasn’t to the point of harming her health, rather, she had developed a more toned figure.

This must be Jacob. The last time I saw him, he was still a baby, and now look how big he’s gotten, Dorothy said, bending down to Jacob’s eye level. You look just like your father.

Michael was a good man. Jacob shyly clung to his mother’s leg. His memories of his father were vague, but his mother often told him about him.

Michael had been an architect, a kind and responsible man. Thanks to the life insurance he had left behind, Emily was able to continue working while raising her son. As they entered the venue, a beautiful space decorated with white and pink flowers spread before them.

The sophisticated decoration reflected Sophia’s good taste. As Emily searched for their assigned seats, her mother Margaret appeared. Emily, I’m so glad you came, Margaret said, embracing her daughter.

She was a former elementary school teacher who, after retirement, doted on her grandson Jacob. However, from Emily’s perspective, her mother’s expressions of affection sometimes felt excessive. Of course, mom.

It’s Sophia’s special day. Jacob, come to grandma, Margaret said, lifting her grandson. I have a special toy for you.

She pulled a toy car from a small paper bag. It was a red sports car. Can you imagine making $10,000 a month just from YouTube all from home? That’s exactly what I did with Art at Stories.

No face, no voice. Check the link in the description if you’re curious. Jacob’s eyes lit up.

Thank you, grandma. Emily smiled watching her son’s delight, but at the same time felt conflicted. Her mother constantly showed excessive interest in Jacob and frequently interfered with detailed advice about his care….