Texting my mom in the middle of our summer family reunion...

Conversation

1. Mom, why is your name next to Dad in the family screenshot?
2. What screenshot are you talking about, honey?
3. Someone posted a screenshot in the reunion chat, it shows you invited him.
4. Oh no, who sent it?
5. Aunt Rosa — everyone is reading it right now.
6. I didn't tell anyone I invited him, I swear.
7. Then explain why your profile shows 'added him' with a timestamp.
8. I replied to his message earlier; I didn't press add.
9. He messaged you? After all these years?
10. Yes, he texted me this morning and said he was dying.
11. He said that? He left us, Mom, he can't use that.
12. I know, I know, I panicked and talked to him.
13. You panicked and invited him to our reunion without telling us.
14. I didn't invite him to the reunion, I only answered his message.
15. Then why is there a screenshot of you adding him?
16. Because someone made a fake screenshot to start trouble.
17. A fake screenshot? That's a big claim, why would they do that?
18. Aunt Rosa loves drama and hates that I still talk to him.
19. So she faked evidence to bait us into attacking you?
20. Yes, and she texted me earlier trying to rile me up.
21. Mom, if he really texted 'I'm dying', why wouldn't you tell us?
22. Because I couldn't face your anger and have him leave again.
23. You're protecting him from our anger, not protecting us from him.
24. I'm trying to fix my own guilt before it's too late.
25. Fixing your guilt by hiding him at our reunion feels like betrayal.
26. I get that, and I'm scared; I understand your anger.