DANIEL’S POV
After being apart for so long, all I wanted to do was stay by Mom’s side.
But as we got to the party, I realized I couldn’t do that tonight. Tonight, she wasn’t just my mom; she was a winner. A champion. And I couldn’t be prouder.
She looked so happy—laughing with her friends, her eyes shining in that way that made everything feel brighter.
I stood at the snack table, my paper plate forgotten, watching people greet her with hugs, congratulations, and excited questions about the Trials.
I was so glad to see her this way. Most of my life, at parties like this, she always stayed in a corner, quiet and alone, and I’d always hated it.
I loved my mom, and even though I wanted to be by her side forever, I was so happy she’d made new friends. Her circle was growing, and people were seeing her for the wonderful person she’d always been.
Dad, on the other hand, was not having as much fun as Mom was.
