My Mom Said, “Everyone Will Get Something Small.” My Boy Got Socks. My Sister’s Kids Got Phones. He Asked, “Did I Do Something Wrong, Mommy?” I Just Hugged Him. That Night, I Smiled… And Removed Everyone From My HEALTH INSURANCE PLAN

Last year, they had also skipped Lucas’s fourth birthday. My mother claimed she had a headache. My father said he had to work. Tyler didn’t respond at all. But two weeks later, when Tyler needed money for car repairs, my father called me directly, expecting me to contribute $300 because “that’s what family does.” I had paid it like an idiot. I had paid it.

The year before that, they came to Lucas’s third birthday party, but left after twenty minutes because Bethany wanted to go shopping. They hadn’t even watched him blow out the candles.

I looked at my father’s text again. The message was clinical, transactional.

“Tyler’s graduation party is next month. We need $2,200 to cover the venue and catering. Your mother and I are contributing $1,500. You and Bethany should split the rest. Send $2,200 by Friday.”

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