It was a cold morning. He felt safe under his warm covers. He wanted to stay there forever.

“Good morning, time to wake up,” Mom’s patronizing voice didn’t allow him another second of rest. Feeling hollow in his chest he knew he must obey.

“Time to put on the show again,” he grunted to himself while getting out of bed.

He must come into the kitchen smiling. He must look happy. After all, he has the best parents in the world.

​

In his head echoed his parents’ words from last night: “Nobody in the world cares about you besides us!”

He could still feel the burning sensation of his mother’s forceful hug: “I love you so much darling.”

Through his sobbing he felt his mother’s thought, “I'm a very caring mom, I’m even hugging my crying child.”​
​

Walking into the kitchen he could smell scrambled eggs, his favorite breakfast.

His mother was standing by the counter cutting his green apple snack just the way he likes it.

“Mom really loves me and cares about me,” he shook off last night’s memories.

He forces a big smile. “Thanks Mom, this is great.”.

​

She smiled in satisfaction: “I’m a very good mother indeed”.

“You are a very capable boy. Stop ruining your life!,” his hands trembled while he replayed in his head her screams from last night.

“Even a thousand enemies can’t hurt you the way you’re harming yourself!,” tears rolled down his cheek hearing her condescending tone.

“If you don’t stop crying I will hit you again!,” he froze in place. “She really hates feeling like a bad mother,” he thought while summoning inhuman strength to stifle his cry.

​

“Don’t forget to give your teacher that apology we worked so hard on writing last night.”

His mother’s voice snapped him back to his breakfast.

“Dad would be highly displeased if you `forget` it again.”

“I won’t forget Mom.”

“Of course you won’t, we do so much for you, you are a good boy.” He felt a tremor going down his left shoulder.

Quietly sighing to himself, “I owe them so much, they work so hard for me.”

​

Feigning a smile while putting on his backpack, “Thanks for the snacks mom.”

“Have a good day son,” she stood by the door with a pious smile as he climbed down the stairs. Seeing him head off in the distance she closed the door feeling satisfied, “I’m such a loving and caring mother.”

​

Walking outside helped him forget his mother.

The breeze of fresh air turned into a warm sensation as he withdrew into his fantasy.

Clenching his toy Mom in his pocket he whispered: “I love you toy mommy.”

The tingling warmth spread throughout his body as he imagined his toy mom saying: “I love you too darling.”

He let out a sigh of relief imagining his toy mom holding him.

Her love was so pure.

She didn’t love him to fulfill her neediness, she was genuinely there for him.

​

He felt his spine strengthen with resolve as he saw his school in the distance.

Empowered by his toy mom’s presence he told himself, “I won’t let my parents’ emotional issues ruin my life!.”

He straightened his shoulders and marched into school, clutching his toy mom tightly.