"I've been working for years. Sending money home every month, like clockwork. All together, it's close to a million. This month I'm on maternity leave—my salary's lower, and I don't have extra to give you. So now you can't take me on a trip?"
"Where did that million go? The money I gave you—couldn't you even spare twenty thousand for me?"
"Vivian hasn't worked a single day since graduation. You paid her rent, covered her living expenses—but when it comes to me, suddenly there's nothing?"
"Just because I have a salary, I deserve to be bled dry?"
My voice rose with each question.
What I got in return was a slap across the face from my mom.
"How dare you! I'm your mother! Is this how you speak to your elders!"
Other residents in the complex stopped to watch.
The more Mom thought about it, the angrier she got. She lunged forward, ready to keep hitting me.
I shielded my son with one arm and stood my ground.
Vivian sidled over, putting on a show of apologizing.
"Alex, don't be like this. Mom didn't mean it that way. You're her daughter—can't you just back down? We're all adults now. Don't make Mom angry again."
I hitched my son higher on my hip and slapped her across the face with my free hand.