Marvin could hardly believe what he was hearing. He looked up with wide eyes and asked, "Ste, did you just say you''d reallye with me?"


    Ste nodded with a warm smile, replying, "Yes, this time I''ll go with you."


    In an instant, Marvin threw his arms around Ste''s waist, his face glowing with gratitude.


    "Ste, you''re the best!"


    Watching Marvin bounce around with joy, Ste felt a mix of emotions welling up inside her.


    Keen had always been ashamed of her- never even mentioning kindergarten events. But Marvin? He''d nervously asked for her thoughts, then lit up like Christmas morning when she said yes.


    The difference between them was night and day.


    Ste hesitated for a moment and asked, "Marvin, do you really want me toe


    with you?"


    Marvin''s little face fell instantly.


    "Ste, do you not want to go?"


    "It''s not that," Ste said, pausing. "Aren''t you worried I might embarrass you?"


    Marvin immediately shook his head. "Ste, you''re so pretty, how could you be embarrassing?"


    "But what if we don''t do well..."


    Marvin cut her off, his face serious and earnest. "As long as you''re with me, Ste, I''m already happy." Then, with a more somber tone, Marvin added, "I don''t have a mom, and Dad''s always busy, so I''ve never had anyone to go with me to the kindergarten activities... I used to pretend to be sick just to avoid them.


    "I often think, if only I had a mom... I''d be so good to her, never make her angry. We''d go to the park, visit amusement parks on weekends. She''d help me with stickers, draw with me, and tell me bedtime stories every night.


    "When the kindergarten had events, she''d be there with me. She wouldn''t have to be beautiful or perfect, just there. That''s all I''d want. But..."


    Marvin''s eyes grew misty. "Some kids have amazing moms and don''t even appreciate them. They don''t know that the mom they take for granted is the one I dream about..."


    Ste felt a pang in her heart.


    Marvin''s innocent words cut deeper than he knew. The family moments he longed for were ones she''d desperately wanted too-ones her own son had denied her with his contempt.


    The bitter truth settled in her chest: While Marvin ached for what he never had, she stood rejected by the child who should have loved her.


    Between the boy dreaming of a mother''s embrace, and the mother whose embrace was pushed away-who was more broken?


    Ste gently hugged Marvin, whispering, "It''s okay. Ste will always be here for you."


    Marvin looked up, his eyes sincere. "And I''ll always be here for Ste."


    Ste smiled, "Alright then, let''s do our best in the weekend''s contest, okay?"


    Marvin''s eyes lit up, "Okay!"


    ...


    At the kindergarten.


    As soon as Keen heard about the uing event, he thought of Rachel.


    Rachel could y the violin, and she was quite the virtuoso. He was confident that with Rachel by his side, they''d definitely take first ce.


    He had seen Rachel y the violin before. Even though he didn''t understand much about music, watching Rachel in a white dress with her violin was like seeing an angel. That''s when his perception of Rachelpletely changed.


    However, during his hospital stay, Rachel left him feeling a bit let down. Though Rachel visited him every day, she never stayed long and never spent the night. Every day, she''d leave with a different excuse.


    "Keen, I''m sorry, but I''m not feeling too well today. I''ll go home to rest ande visit you tomorrow."