Chapter 8 - A MOTHER’S BROKEN TRUST
My mother tried to visit me in the hospital, arriving with flowers and a tearful explanation about how she was "too shocked to intervene." I allowed the visit, but the distance between us had become a canyon. I told her plainly that watching her stand by while Tyler threw me to the ground had broken the bond of trust that had existed my entire life.
“You chose to be a spectator,” I said, my voice steady despite the pain in my back. “You waited to see if I would stand up, and in that moment, you showed me exactly where I stood in your hierarchy.” She left in tears, but for the first time, I didn't feel the need to comfort her. I had spent years being the family’s emotional shock absorber, and my spine wasn't the only thing that needed to be re-aligned.
