Pria watched mom unfold and in many ways felt herself unraveling too. She wasn't too used to seeing her this way. Seeing her fall apart at the seams and spill out emotions. They weren't cold with each-other, not at all; but seeing the person she grew up knowing as her protector start crying in such a manner was jarring. 

She didn't know what to say, she found a tingle in her nose and tears behind her eyes daring to well up. It was like an automatic response in seeing her mother do it. She felt conflicted in so many ways. She didn't mean for any of this. She wasn't trying to leave she was trying to explore. She didn't want to a distance in their relationship, just a measure of her own life lived. And even though she disagreed with what or how her mother said all the things she just did, she couldn't bear to say so. It felt like if she did it would be the same as telling her she was right. As if arguing validated her fears. She found herself biting her lip, tears rolling down each cheek. She wasn't bawling and she didn't feel like she was wrong to want what she did, but she did feel like what was in front of her was her fault. She just made the woman who spent most of her life raising Pria cry. That wasn't something Pria would let go easily. 

"Mom i'm...i'm sorry." She finally managed. "I'm not running away. I just feel comfortable out there..." Her words got quieter as she went. Often she was quite confident in what she said, but not now. 

"I don't want to hurt you..."