little boy.

Once upon a time, there was a little boy. No older than 10.

Every day he wished his mom would come home.

Sober.

Even though she promised she would come home every night,

he still didn't like the stink on her breath and the funny way she talked to him.

One day he woke up.

Alone.

His mom hadn't come home. ^{Where could she be?} He was scared.

She was in jail. He didn't know what that meant but he knew she wasn't home.

She had left him alone.

^{Broken her promises}.

Because of that, he cried.

He blamed his small innocent self, imagined it was all his fault.

Until finally, his mom decided to get better.

She woke up from the haze she had been living in.

Realized how much she had hurt that small innocent child.

That child who she cherished and treasured and who loved her back,

even though all the pain, she had caused him.

Hearts are still mending. Trust is still being earned.

But now that mom is _{keeping her promises.}

She comes home every night.

And snuggles that small innocent child.