Before learning the truth about his adoption, the teenager referred to his mother as “old and boring.”

Thirteen-year-old Thomas cherished his Saturday routine, spending each one at a café with his friends. His mother, Gloria, felt increasingly distant from her once-close son and hoped to bridge the gap by inviting him to a superhero movie he had recently expressed interest in.

Determined to connect, Gloria went to the café to ask him in person. But her presence embarrassed Thomas, especially when his friends teased that she looked like his grandmother—a cruel comment that stung, as Gloria had adopted him at age 42. When she approached him, he coldly told her to leave, saying she was embarrassing him. Heartbroken, Gloria returned home and prepared his favorite meal—spaghetti and meatballs—hoping to reconnect. She sat alone, reflecting on the closeness they once shared and wondering where it had all gone wrong.

Later that night, Thomas returned home without saying a word, walking right past her. Gloria was left in silence with her heartbreak—and the uneaten dinner she had lovingly prepared.