had rough hands from factory work.
No diploma.
No career.
No husband.
No children.
I laughed and said,
“See? I climbed the ladder. You took the easy road and became a nobody.”
The room went silent.
She looked at me with tired eyes.
Then she smiled.
“I’m proud of you.”
She hugged me.
Then she quietly left.
For three months…
No calls.
No messages.
I figured she was offended and needed time.
Eventually I drove back to the small house where we’d grown up.
The mailbox was overflowing.
The lawn was overgrown.
My stomach tightened.
I unlocked the door.
The house was empty.
Every piece of furniture was gone.
On the kitchen counter sat one envelope with my name.
Inside was a letter.
“You once asked why I never chased my dreams.
I did.
My dream was that one of us would make it.
You were only twelve. I couldn’t
