Stripped to the Core 7A 3/11

[barelin]

My mother’s lips curved into a faint smile, her expression softening. “Good,” she said. “I’m glad you’re adjusting so well, Emma. This is exactly what you needed.”

The words sent a chill down my spine, a mix of revulsion and something else I couldn’t quite name. I wanted to scream, to cry, to tell her that this wasn’t what I needed, that this wasn’t what I wanted. But the words wouldn’t come. My throat felt tight, my voice trapped beneath the weight of my emotions.

Glad I didn't have a mother like that.