But days turned into weeks, and weeks into a silence that said more than any explanation ever could.
She wasn’t coming back.
So I learned.
Quickly.
How to braid hair without pulling too tight.
How to calm nightmares at 2 a.m.
How to pretend tea parties were the most important meetings in the world.
I learned how to be both the strong one and the soft place to land.
And some days… I wasn’t sure I was doing either one very well.
My parents became my anchor.
They stepped in whenever they could—babysitting, cooking, reminding me that I wasn’t alone, even when it felt like I was carrying everything by myself.
By the time Thanksgiving rolled around, I was exhausted in a way that sleep couldn’t fix.
Continue on the next page:
