was born.”
The hurt came out as anger before I could stop it.
“How could you do that without telling me?”
Anna flinched.
I saw her gripping her own fingers and lowered my voice.
“I’m sorry. Please tell me what happened.”
She had gone to my mother’s house asking for my new number and address. She thought a baby might soften Ruth, that the prospect of a grandchild would make her help them.
Instead, my mother repeated her threats.
Then she told Anna I had already found someone else.
“She said it had started before I sent the letter. That you hadn’t known how to end things with me.”
“That’s a lie.”
“I understand that now.”
“Who did she say I was with?”
Anna looked at me for a long moment.
“Carol.”
I reached into my pocket and closed my hand around the ring.
Carol and I had known each
