myself I was protecting her.
Maybe, in some ways, I was also protecting myself.
I didn’t want my daughter growing up believing she had been abandoned because there was something wrong with her.
So whenever she asked, I focused on what I knew.
He left.
I stayed.
And I loved her enough for both of us.
For fifteen years, that had been enough.
Until one school trip changed everything.
The Trip to Los Angeles
Lily was fifteen when her class announced that they would be traveling to Los Angeles.
It was the kind of trip teenagers dreamed about.
They would visit museums, famous landmarks, studios, and several locations connected to the entertainment industry.
Lily was thrilled.
She talked about the trip for weeks.
“Mom, everyone is going.”
“I know.”
“And Mrs. Carter will be with us.”
“I know.”
“And I’ll call you every night.”
“You’d better.”
She laughed.
