In Your Eyes

I woke up on mother's day because the phone rang. Or was it because of that nightmare. I couldn't remember. Still, I picked up the phone so it wouldn't wake Chloe up.

"Hello?"

"Frankie?"

"Who is this?"

"Frankie, It's me. It's your mother."

"Mom? Is everything okay?"

"Yeah."

"Have you been crying?"

"Honestly, yes."

"Why? What happened?"

"I'm here at the police station right now becuase...I...I...I shot your father."

"Wha....what?!!"

"I shot your father."

"Why?!"

"I felt like a terrible mother. I was never there for you or for your sister. If I was, none of that incident would have happened. And since today is mother's day, I thought I should at least start now in being a good mother. I felt so bad Frankie! I was a terrible mother."

"Shh...Mom, don't you ever think that! You were a great mom!"

"No I wasn't. I hit you. I yelled at Chloe. I was never there."

"You were never here but you were always there. You were there working very hard to take care of us. To make our lives easier. To keep a roof over our heads. To feed us and to keep us safe. Isn't that the role of a mother AND a father?"

"Thank you Frankie. That's the best mother's day gift ever. I have to go now though. Give everyone my love."

"Okay mom. And I'm sorry too."

The other line was dead when I said those words.