Thirteen-year-old Thomas spent every Saturday at a café with friends, a cherished weekly ritual. His mother, Gloria, feeling increasingly distant from her once-inseparable son, hoped to reconnect by inviting him to a superhero movie he’d mentioned wanting to see.

But when Gloria arrived at the café to ask in person, Thomas was embarrassed. His friends joked she looked like his grandmother—a jab that cut deeply, as Gloria had adopted Thomas at 42. When she approached him, he coldly told her to leave, saying she was embarrassing him.Devastated, Gloria returned home and cooked his favorite meal, spaghetti and meatballs, hoping to reconnect. She reflected on the bond they once shared and wondered where things had gone wrong.

That night, Thomas came home late and walked past her without a word, leaving Gloria alone with her heartbreak—and a dinner that went uneaten.