There was a moment of silence, then Brenda snapped, \u201cYou\u2019ve let that man turn you into a stranger. You\u2019re no daughter of mine.\u201d She hung up. I stood there, phone in hand, my belly tight with a tension so profound it was physical.<\/p>\n
A few days later, a surprise call from Brenda. Her voice was unusually warm. \u201cI\u2019ve been thinking,\u201d she said. \u201cLet\u2019s put all this behind us. I\u2019m inviting everyone over for dinner Sunday night. A fresh start.\u201d A part of me, the part that still yearned for a mother\u2019s love, wanted to believe her. Luke and I agreed to go.<\/p>\n