Fret

By Nadia Bozak
** Publication Date 25 August 2026 **
​4 stars


Single mothers never have it easy. Kids often think the grass in greener in the other parent’s household. Single moms are frayed from trying to keep it all together. Work, kids, life. In this mom’s life, it all simply became too much.


Kate Smith is in her 40s, a single mom to Ray, 12, and Lucky, 3. Great kids, tired mom. When their a/c goes out in the heat of the summer, it just becomes too much for Kate to bear. While she’s been working at a child care center, playing her music for the kids, she’s still barely getting by. She has a sometime babysitter, so that she can go on runs to expel the pent up energy and anger that seems to constantly be her companion. At nights she sits on her porch with a cold beer and her trusty guitar and plays music until late into the night.


Once upon a time she was Kat, part of the band The Toy Boats. They were on the verge of stardom, on a European tour, opening for big names, when Kat finds out she’s pregnant. By her bandmate. Her sister Danny had recently joined the band, and the beautiful Dannette is upstaging Kat. While the pregnancy continues, and Kat’s rage toward her sister grows, Kat is sent home to Canada. She is no longer needed or wanted. She gives birth and life goes on. The band goes on without her. And here she is now in her 40s.


One morning everything goes wrong. Lucky is hiding somewhere when it’s time to get in the car. Ray is mad at whatever, because Ray is on the verge of teen hood and that’s how boys are. Kate turns her back for just a minute and suddenly her car is gone with Lucky in it. With this turn of events, Kate’s life spirals out of control. The question for Kate is, will she ever be able to reign it back in.


I really loved Kate. I think any mother can relate to never enough sleep and being on the verge of a breakdown far too often. Even though Kate did make this mess of her life, she tries her best with her kids. Even though the flat where they live is falling down around them, Kate tries to make it a home. Even though she never intended to work in childcare, she really loves the kids. It only takes one bad decision to send life spiraling sometimes, and in this, Kate just needs time to see it for what it is. 


Fret shows us that it is never too late to turn your life around. To be a better person for yourself, your kids, and the world in general. That it’s never too late to pursue what gives you joy. I really did enjoy this story.