Listen, I'm not trying to disrespect or insult the mother but she highkey triggered me.
Last chapter she's starts by nagging him when he finally answered the phone, I understand she missed him or whatever but making him feel bad about not smiling and telling him how embarrassed she for him not to smile, absolutely unnecessary.
She basically asking him not visually express discomfort or when he's unhappy. Instead of nagging she could have asked what was upsetting him, she knows he wouldn't openly express himself because he'd hide his negative emotions when he was a child. Instead of using her backgrounds knowledge, she completely disregarded it.
As for the part when she starts yelling at him while he was trying to explain that he meant (only in my opinion, I could assume he was trying to say: ) that even if she were to hurt him or mistreat him like her partner's son did, he'd still want to only live with her. He wasn't saying he was purposely hurting him.
She not only yelled at him, she said words that any child would be eternally damaged by: "I can't stand you sometimes" or "sometimes I really hate you" or "I really resent you sometimes"
That was completely out of place and can be considered mental or emotional abuse, she was taking her frustrations out on her son after drinking.
I understand her emotions got the better of her and as a person with anger issues, If I were truly upset and depending on the person, I'd lash out at them, but she's mostly in the wrong.
respect, i would have give up after one full sentence