At 25, I built my own house, and at the housewarming, my mother pulled me aside

Surrounds looked sympathy or judgment, who how. Second clinic. Emily queue doctor, saw David little daughter arms.

Girl like him child: same dark eyes, serious smile. «Beautiful girl! — Emily said approaching. — Name?» David stood, daughter arms, went corridor other end.

Girl looked curious stranger, father led farther. «David, I’m grandma! — shouted after. — Want see grandkids!» But son vanished corner, like never there.

Third cafe, he dined family. Now two kids, boy five, girl three. Sat window table, laughed, talked.

Normal happy family. Emily stood street long, watched through glass. Saw David tell kids something, they laugh, Olivia smile husband.

Saw life could hers, if acted different. David suddenly looked up window. Eyes met.

Emily raised hand, waved, tried smile. But son turned away, continued talk kids, like nothing. Such moments Emily knew something irreparable.

That day David’s house point no return. She’d lost older son forever. Often thought that day, try understand mistake.

Maybe not demand house Ethan? Maybe just apologize past? Maybe behave different, all otherwise? But then remembered clumsy fall past chair, son’s indifferent look, no move help. Understood too late. What change nothing…

Maybe go him again? Sometimes asked Ethan. — Explain we changed? — Won’t, — son gloomy. He hates us.

Forever. — But not stone. Has heart.

— Has. But not us. For us stone heart.

Emily agreed son. David stranger them. More, man hated them.

Hate deserved. Rare honest moments admitted fault what happened, from childhood unfair older son, kicked cruel heartless, showed life only when rich. But often convinced right she.

David egoist, forgot family, proud. Real son should help despite. Maternal love unconditional, but filial too.

Two more years. Emily aged, stooped, hair fully gray. Ethan full chronic alcoholic.

Lived poverty, isolated, no prospects. Sometimes thought soon die. David won’t know.

He’ll live on, raise kids, grow business, she’ll vanish world, no trace his life. Thought scared most. Not death, meaning nothing own son.

He erased her life easy she once him. But change nothing. Too much pain caused older son.

Too many bridges burned. Too late realized lost best children. David lived happy full life.

She lived out in cramped shared room next sunk younger son. Justice won, as Ethan said. But justice merciless.

Evenings, Ethan drunk asleep couch, neighbors quiet, Emily sat window thought that housewarming day. How demanded house younger son. How fell missing chair.

That look David gave. Then finally lost older son. Now knew lost forever.