Yes.”

There was a pause so long I thought she’d hung up.

Then she said something I didn’t expect.

“I don’t know what you want from me.”

I could have answered, Love me as much as you love Vanessa.

But love wasn’t a measurable sum, and I wasn’t asking Mom to choose favorites.

I wanted a relationship where my decisions didn’t become evidence that I was selfish.

“I’d like you to ask how I feel before telling me what I have to do,” I said.