my sister and i loved this.
for me, after i finished it, i remembered something about myself. there was a time when my connection to my mother, as another queer person especially, was something that i felt defined me. to this day i say she is the reason i know what love is. i still mourn how i know, even if she understands how her husband is hurting her, even if i can hear it in the things she almost says, that she can’t leave it behind right now.
as unfortunate as it is that women like noel are hurt by men like that, i’m glad she had the opportunity to raise char properly without it being passed on to her, too. without his touch creeping into her own hands, voice, gaze. i’m glad she was able to express that hurt properly. it’s nice to see a glimpse of what could have been. your character writing is lovely.