MY MOTHER LEFT ME BEHIND AT AN AIRPORT WHEN I WAS ONLY EIGHT—WALKING AWAY WITH HER NEW HUSBAND AND HIS CHILDREN WHILE I CLUTCHED A BACKPACK AND A STUFFED BUNNY. WHEN SHE RETURNED, MY BEDROOM WAS EMPTY… AND LEGAL DOCUMENTS WERE WAITING FOR HER.

Chapter Five: The Architecture of Belonging

Healing didn’t come in a sudden wave; it came in increments of seconds and minutes. Gordon enrolled me in therapy with Dr. Amanda Chen, a woman who specialized in childhood trauma.

The first few months were a struggle of shadows. I couldn’t walk through a doorway without checking if the person behind me was still there. I had nightmares of Gate C32, where the plastic chairs grew teeth and the airport announcements were my mother’s voice telling me I didn’t exist.

“How do you feel today, Leah?” Dr. Chen asked during a particularly grey Tuesday session.

“Like a puzzle with missing pieces,” I replied, clutching Barnaby. “I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. I keep waiting for Dad to realize I’m… extra baggage.”…continue reading …