d condolences and slipped away, leaving a mess of half-eaten cake and deflated

Johnsons had been escorted to a nearby waiting area by the restaurant manager,

hed with concern. "Lily-bug, don't li

whispered, not looking at

s talk about your condo! We can go see it tomorrow. And you can pick

piness, plaster over this gaping wound with material possessions. In my last life, his efforts had only m

lity. My husband, the brilliant architect, was a complete fool when it came to our daughter.

, by the sudden appearance of a past she could romanticize, a "blood bond" tha

anager. Brenda had clearly worked her magic on him. H

t to talk to our daughter," Brenda said softly, lo

talk to them," she said, h

st, I spoke. "Fine. Let'

ief, but I ignored him. Better

empty table. It felt li

e so young. We had nothing. We were told you'd have a better life with... with them." Sh

of questions. "Is it true? Did yo

flat and even. "That's

note saying she couldn't care for you. No name, no contact information. The social workers considered it a case of aban

painful truth we had always been pr

no, that's not how it was! They told us it was a temporary arrangement! T

proven lie. But Lily was alread

said, her voice accusing. "You just s

feel..." David starte

ce was sharp. The sweet, grateful daughter was

at he meant,"

Brenda and Gary. "They look for me for twenty-two years, and

tween the people who had lied to her with a sob

renda's tear-streaked face and Gary's downcast eyes, and she saw victims. She looked at our comfor

she looked at Brenda. "I

un. Or rather, the battle I had already lost once was lost aga