Silence shrouded the place.
Ben beamed and his little shoulders relaxed. He reached for my hand and squeezed.
Sometimes, Tina stopped by our house. She brought muffins, tiny cars, and second-hand books. Ben started laughing again.
I saw it happen gradually. The heaviness lifted from his little chest with every visit. He’d run to the door when he saw her car, and she’d kneel to his level and really see him.
One evening, two years later, he came into the laundry room while I was folding socks.
“Grandma,” he said, “is Tina my real mom?”Continue reading…