We laughed again, and the heaviness lifted.
As we paid, Mia reached across the table. “Thank you,” she said.
“For not embarrassing me. You could’ve made it awkward—but you didn’t. You handled it with grace.”
I smiled. “So did you.”
Outside, under the soft glow of streetlights, she hugged me tight. “You taught me something tonight,” she said. “Boundaries don’t have to be mean.”Continue reading…
