As much as Mother Rui wanted to tell her son that it was the Chief who gave them wool for free so that he could feel grateful for the generosity that had been shown to them, she had a hunch that the boy would not appreciate it and might even turn hysterical instead. And then she would snap out of anger and by the time she came back to her senses, dark and hideous bruises would bloom across his tender skin, his face contorted in pain. She would be consumed by remorse, regret, and guilt as she tried to comfort him, further straining their already fragile relationship.
It was a vicious cycle she could already predict with her eyes closed, and honestly… she was tired. She was so very tired of losing control, of being consumed by anger and fear.
Yet she had no idea what kind of behavior she should adopt when facing her son. She only knew that she must not lower her guard, she had to be strict and watch over him closely so as to prevent him from acting abnormal again.
