Chapter 4 – A New Year's Choice
Carol refused to give up.
She called every day.
When I didn't answer, she emailed.
When I blocked her email, she mailed handwritten letters.
Each one sounded almost the same.
"I'm your mother."
"Families forgive."
"Think about Lily."
But not one letter contained the two words I had needed my entire life.
I'm sorry.
On New Year's Eve, there was a knock at our front door.
Carol stood outside holding a wrapped present.
Snow covered her coat.
"I just want to see my granddaughter."
I stepped outside and closed the door behind me.
"So this is about Lily?"
"Of course."
"No."
I shook my head.
"This is about control."
Her expression hardened.
"You've always been too sensitive."
For the first time, those words had no power.
"I used to believe that."
I handed the gift back.
"You don't get access to my daughter simply because we're related."
Carol stared at me.
"You'd keep a grandmother away from her own grandchild?"
"I'll keep a bully away from my child."
She opened her mouth.
Nothing came out.
May you like
Then she turned around and walked back through the snow.
That was the last time I saw her for nearly a year.
