The Woman

The woman, whose name is never given in the story, is a middle-aged mother whose teenage son resides in a mental institution due to mental illness. The woman is a widow, and for the past eight years, she has been in a relationship with a man named Pete. She loves both Pete and her son very much, and her primary desire is to have herself, her son, and Pete be together as a cohesive family unit. However, her son’s mental illness and Pete’s personal reluctance are distinct impediments to this desire.

The woman lives in a house by herself, and she wishes for her son and Pete to live with her as well. However, her son lives in the mental institution, and Pete does not wish to move in with the woman. Despite the growing distance between the woman and Pete, the woman remains stoically...