Public Shame, Private Triumph

d shoulders and hushed conversations

n we finally talked,

inted." She said she need

not yet. But I was a

y former colleagues,

ders went missing. Whispers fo

mother. Her health was fragile. S

mother, Sarah, cam

. "Ethan, you' ve been so st

ile a little weak, but h

ay from the main kitche

lian' s cro

other," one of them sneered

her fl

steals from his boss' s friends

I said, stepping in

Walker? Can' t ha

y arm. "Ethan, let'

ice tr

amed Peterson, shoved past

it, ol

from her hands. It clattered to the floor

, more in sho

t Peterson, but my mo

than! P

, shaking

bling, trying to scoop the spil

art b

iece of chicken from the floor, dus

s, Mom," I said

n her eyes. "

n with Julian. They must

ardened when sh

oor. My mother, distre

g of this? Are you eating off the floor? You

ked, enjoyi

ella, then at me, her

Mo

flying to her chest

catching her before

ed. Someone

body limp in my arms

the stress had triggered a seve

ecialized treatment.

oney I didn' t have. Money I

dying because of me. Because of