Mama, this brought tears to my eyes, reading that your mom called to you and said she was sorry before she died. That is so beautiful.
I know you feel cheated and I know what you mean. I was so angry at my mother for years, for the things she said and the way she treated me. Not abusively, mind you, but certainly not loving me the way I needed to be loved. (Thank God my dad did). By the time I got to the point where I understood her and accepted her love the way she could give it, she was diagnosed with thyroid cancer and died within 6 months. So I, too, felt cheated. But no matter how much time we get or how many good times we have, we would probably never feel it was enough. We would want it to last! And you should feel relieved that she passed without having that need to apologize nagging at her soul. She died with peace in her heart. Not everyone does.
And don't ever feel like being a crybaby means you're weak. Crying shows that you are secure enough to feel your feelings and let them out.
It's a great release to cry. I call it an emotional orgasm.