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“Ozz, I don’t want yournice for you?”

But I’ my head If it was anyone else, I’d be pissed off, but I knoithwith a lot ofshe didn’t do and wasn’t her fault

“Mom, you do stuff for me all the time, but this is different, and you know it You loaned o into business with Duke It’s been three years, and here”—I force the envelope in her hand—“is the final payment”

She puts her hand down on the counter, and the anguish on her face is enough to gut h so much from me and my brother I can’t ood future for her “You don’t have to do this,” she huffs

“I want to Now I’ for houses I can’t live over the shop for the rest of my life”

She raises the envelope “See? You need the money Take it”

Holdingthe h for a down pay, and the shop is doing way better than I ever dreamed”

She tries to hand ood, honey This can be your housewarift”

Instead of taking it, I wrap my arms around her “Thanks, Mom, but I want to do this on my own”

She’s shaking her head as she pulls away and starts straightening the already straight bottles on the shelf behind her I knohat she’s thinking, and she’s wrong

“Mo to prison was not your fault”

She turns with the dusting towel in her hand and waves it around “Well, it sure wasn’t your fault I’ood dad out the door when you and your brother were young You didn’t have a father figure, and I’m the one that always told you that since you’re older, you should take care of your brother I put that on you And look what it got you You’re a convicted felon”

All I can do is listen This isn’t a new argument for us We have it at least once a month She acts as what happened was her fault, and that can’t be further from the truth Whether she wantedto protect ot s were e and three years in prison My brother was in a lot deeper than I thought There are so ht that while I was in prison, et arrested for ar tione to see hio