When Family Became a Place I Couldn’t Return To novel Chapter 110

“You’re spending time with someone else, and just leaving me behind?”

Nelly hadn’t expected Carrie to come storming over. She’d honestly thought her daughter only cared about Sheila these days.

“When I got to the kindergarten that day, you’d already teamed up with someone else.” Nelly tried to keep her voice steady, though she couldn’t help softening a little when she looked into Carrie’s big, watery eyes.

“That’s because… Ms. Olson is good at drawing. I didn’t know you could…” Carrie looked down, the guilt written all over her face, but her frustration was even stronger.

“It doesn’t matter. You’re my mom. How could you team up with another kid and steal my prize?” Carrie blurted out, then turned on April. “And who are you, anyway? Why are you with my mom?”

April shrank back, a little scared, and hid behind Nelly. She was clutching her first-place certificate, and even though she looked shy, Carrie just thought she was being smug on purpose.

Seeing Nelly hug April close only made Carrie angrier. She lunged forward, gave April a shove, and tried to grab the certificate right out of her hands. “My mom won that, so it’s mine. Give it back!”

“Carrie, that’s enough! Where are your manners?” Nelly couldn’t take it anymore. She snapped at Carrie, scooped April up, and moved away so Carrie couldn’t reach her.

Brody and Sheila showed up just then. Sheila grabbed Carrie’s arm, while Brody’s eyes met Nelly’s, then drifted to little April.

“What are you doing here? And who is this girl?” Brody asked, frowning as he got a good look at April. For a moment, he thought she looked a little like Nelly.

“Do I really have to tell you every time I go somewhere?” Just seeing Brody ruined whatever good mood Nelly had left. Sheila was here with Carrie for the parent-child event, and, of course, Brody had made time to show up too. Nelly took Carrie to so many events alone, and he never came once.

“This is a parent-child event. As her mom, shouldn’t you be with your daughter?” Brody asked, his voice calm but a little cold.

To Nelly, though, it sounded like he was just picking a fight. “I did want to be with her, but you three are here together, so now I’m the awkward one, is that it?”

Carrie glared at Nelly, cheeks puffed out as she squeezed Sheila’s hand even tighter.

Sheila looked uncomfortable and mumbled, “Ms. Stewart, I know you’re upset, but you shouldn’t take it out on Carrie…”

April tried to step away, but Carrie blocked her. “Do you just like taking other people’s moms?”

“I wasn’t trying to take your mom. I just… I wish I had a mom like yours. She’s so perfect and kind. If she were my mom, I’d want to be with her all the time. Why don’t you even appreciate her?” April looked at Carrie, then back at Sheila, who was walking over slowly, confusion in her eyes. How could someone not want a mom like that? Nelly must feel so sad.

April’s words stopped Carrie in her tracks. She’d never thought that anyone else would see Nelly as the perfect mom. To her, Nelly was just… ordinary.

Sheila put a gentle hand on Carrie’s shoulder. “Carrie, that’s enough. Your dad will be upset if he sees this.”

April took the chance to slip back into her classroom.

Carrie turned to Sheila, suddenly feeling like she didn’t even know her. Ms. Olson was nice, sure, but most of the time, she couldn’t stop talking about Dad. She tried to make Carrie happy because it would make Dad happy. Whenever they went out, it was all about inviting Dad. Even when Sheila picked her up and took her to eat, if Dad wasn’t there, she just seemed distracted. But whenever Nelly was with her, it was always just about her. All the attention, all the conversation, it was all for Carrie.

“Dad might be upset, but I’m not happy either.” Carrie muttered, her voice barely above a whisper.