Unwelcome Charade

"The children have been through so much, Mom, please don't take it personally." Audrey wiped at her face. "Mom, it's been so many years. You've aged, though your spirits look strong, stronger than ours. At least you haven't had to endure too much hardship. If you had, I don't know how I could have lived with myself as your daughter-in-law..."

She had brought the children on a weekend deliberately,