She nodded.
After a moment, she asked, “Mom, did you stay with that boy after he insulted your smile?”
“For a little while.”
“Why?”
I took a breath.
“Because I liked him, and I was afraid of being alone. I thought being a good girlfriend meant making him happy, even if I had to make myself unhappy to do it.”
“Did he apologize?”
“Eventually.”
“Then why didn’t you stay with him?”
“Because I realized that an apology didn’t erase what had happened. And even though I forgave him, I didn’t want to keep living as the girl who was afraid to smile.”
Emma stared at the blanket.
“I really like Tyler.”
“I know.”
“He was nice to me before.”
“I believe you.”
“What if he didn’t mean it the way it sounded?”
“Then he can explain what he meant. But you still get to tell him how it made you feel.”
