My mom nags endlessly about my career, always comparing me to my cousin who ‘made it big.’ Over Christmas dinner, she announced a surprise guest: my cousin. As he stepped in, I noticed his anxious fidgeting; before he spoke, his phone rang, and his expression changed. Mom nudged me to listen, but all I heard was hurried whispers and worried murmurs about a deal slipping through. My cousin, whom I had always envied, seemed suddenly vulnerable and unsure, shushing mom’s questioning looks as his call ended uncomfortably.
He cleared his throat and attempted a smile, dodging her concerned gaze. “It’s just something at work, nothing to worry about,” he assured, but his eyes revealed otherwise. Impossibly curious, I searched for traces of the cousin I knew, the boy whose shadow hung over me like an ever-present reminder of my unfulfilled potential.
