I’m Emi Maruyama (31), a mom raising a first-grade boy. A while ago, I started a new part-time job and took over from Yukako Hotta, a single mother. Since we were the same age and our kids were in the same grade, we quickly bonded and became friends. Having just moved, I was thrilled to finally make a friend. Over time, our bond grew stronger, and even after she changed jobs, we still meet up at cafés to talk.
I still loved my mom. She cooked every day and let me do lessons. But sometimes, when she got upset, she exploded. As long as I avoided that, life was calm. I always said “I’m fine” to keep her happy, searching for the words she wanted to hear. If I said “I’m lonely” or “please come to my events,” she’d get angry. So I could never say anything against her wishes.