Trauma Grieving

Chapter 16

Vee's POV_

I watched as Emily came home from school, her brothers in tow. She looked like she was trying to be cheerful, but I could see the worry lines etched on her face. As she approached me, I felt a pang of guilt. I knew I hadn't been the most present or supportive mom lately.

"Hey, sweetie," I said, trying to sound more enthusiastic than I felt. "How was your day?"

Emily hesitated for a moment before launching into a story about her school project. I listened attentively, trying to show interest, but my mind kept wandering. I felt like I was just going through the motions, pretending to be the mom I used to be.

As we talked, Emily started to open up more, sharing her fears and worries with me. I listened, feeling a surge of maternal instinct. I wanted to protect her, to make everything okay. But as I looked into her eyes, I saw the same fear and uncertainty that I'd seen in Rachel's eyes all those years ago.

And suddenly, I felt like I was staring at myself.

"Emily, I'm sorry," I said, my voice shaking. "I'm sorry I'm not the mom I used to be. I'm trying, sweetie. I really am."

Emily's expression softened, and she hugged me tightly. "I love you, Mom," she said. "We're all trying to get through this together."

In that moment, I felt a glimmer of hope. Maybe, just maybe, we could get through this as a family. Maybe we could heal and move forward together.

As Emily hugged me, I felt a lump form in my throat. But before I could even process my emotions, Max came over and joined the hug. "Mom, we love you," he said, his voice muffled against my shoulder.

I felt a wave of emotion wash over me as I hugged my kids tightly. Maybe this was the turning point. Maybe this was the moment when we started to heal and move forward.

As we pulled back, I looked at my kids and saw the concern in their eyes. "Mom, we're here for you," Emily said. "We'll get me through this. We're a team."

I smiled, feeling a sense of gratitude towards my kids. They were the reason I kept going, the reason I wanted to be a better mom.

As we hugged again, I knew that I had to do better. I had to be there for my kids, to support them, and to love them unconditionally. And maybe, just maybe, we could heal and move forward together.