didn’t realize…”
“You didn’t want to realize,” I said gently. “And that’s okay. I’ve made peace with it. I built my life without your validation. Found my worth in my work, in my patients, in the people I’ve saved. I don’t need you to be proud of me anymore.”
My mother flinched. “Don’t say that.”
“It’s true. I spent years trying to earn your pride, your continue reading …
