Chapter 2 - The Erased Mother
Brenda’s tour of dominance continued across the crowded patio. She stopped at every single table, angling the infant toward guests like a merchant displaying rare silk.
"See who he looks like? Ethan, when he was little," Brenda announced loudly, drowning out any chance of a quiet moment. "Grandma's sweet boy. Mommy's still learning, so Grandma gets to show him off first."
Theo turned his tiny head frantically, his small frame twisting as he searched the noisy room for a familiar cadence, a soothing rhythm. My son was looking for my voice, Avery thought, her chest tightening until it ached. She followed three steps behind her own baby, a ghost haunting her own life.
When Brenda reached the buffet table, she spotted the insulated cooler bag and reached inside, pulling out the exact bottle Avery had spent hours preparing.
"He needs to eat," Avery said, stepping forward, her voice trembling with restrained fury.
"I'll feed him. You just gave birth—standing that long is hard on your back," Brenda retorted smoothly, shifting her body to block Avery completely.
"That's my milk. My baby. And my back's fine," Avery shot back, the adrenaline pumping hot through her veins.
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"Avery, the way you talk, you'd think I'm an outsider," Brenda sighed playfully, flashing a practiced, martyr-like smile to the surrounding guests. "You treat me like I'm just a baby machine," Avery said, her voice rising above the ambient chatter. Brenda merely laughed, turning away to address the crowd. "See what I mean? One baby and now she's all fire."
Avery looked back at Ethan. He was three steps away, aggressively scrolling through his phone, pretending the entire universe existed entirely inside his glowing screen. She waited for him to speak up, to claim his role as a husband and a father. He said nothing. With a sickening motion, Brenda slid the precious bottle into her apron pocket, sealing it away as her own property. The milk Avery had pumped at three in the morning was gone, swallowed up by Brenda’s entitlement.
