The fact that Jared rereads his mom’s text telling him that she loves him only underscores how infrequently his mom gives him straightforward affection like this, and how valuable it is to him. However, this text is followed up with a vaguely violent one—and in this way, the threat of violence is always lurking beneath the surface of their relationship. Jared seems to be longing for a relationship that’s warm and affectionate (like his bond with Nana Sophia), but his mom continues to mix love and violence in a confusing way.