PART 3   I stared at the hospital bracelet in the lunchbox until the letters of my own name blurred.

On the back, Mom had written:

Walter held her for eight minutes. He cried for seven.

I turned to him.

“You held me?”

His lips trembled.

“Once.”

“Why only once?”

“Because after that, your mother told me to decide. Either come in fully or stay out fully. I couldn’t trust myself to come in.”

“That was your decision?”

“Yes.”

“Not hers?”

His eyes met mine.

“Not hers.continue reading …