“No,” he said fast. “You’re the only one who didn’t.”
He swallowed hard. “You used to tell me I could be anything if I’d stop acting like I didn’t care.”
My throat burned. “I told you that because I didn’t want you to end up like your father.”
The air changed.
Grant’s eyes filled. He nodded as if he’d been carrying that sentence for years. “I know.” He took another step. “I wanted to show you I’m not him.”
I reached out and touched the badge.
Then his voice dropped, and all the bravado drained out of it.
“I wanted you to be proud of me.”
I stared at his badge. It caught the light. Real. Solid. My anger didn’t disappear. But it cracked.
I reached out and touched the badge. “You did this.”
Grant’s lip trembled. “Yeah.”
I blinked hard. “You scared me half to death.”
“Mom. I’m sorry.”
“I know,” he whispered. “I’m sorry. I’m really sorry.”
The tears came anyway. Because my worst kid had done something good. Because my hardest kid had tried.
“I thought you were gone,” I said, and my voice broke.
Grant’s face crumpled. He stepped in and hugged me, careful at first, then tight.
“I’m here,” he said into my hair. “I’m here.”
Behind us, Sarah’s voice softened. “Mom. I’m sorry.”
“We wanted it to be perfect.”
Mark’s voice cracked. “We all are.”
Jason cleared his throat. “Yeah. We messed up.”
Eliza hugged my side like she was little again. “We wanted it to be perfect.”
“There’s no perfect,” I said, wiping my cheeks. “There’s just showing up.”
Grant pulled back and looked me in the eye. “No more disappearing. Not me. Not again.”
I studied his face. Same kid. Different weight behind his eyes.
“Go before I start yelling again.”
“Good,” I said. “Because I can’t take another night like this.”
He nodded. “You won’t.”
