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 Seven: The Final Boarding Call

Today, I stand in a different airport. I am twenty-two, a college graduate, and I am heading to a fellowship in London. I have my passport, my ticket, and a sense of self that no one can ever take from me.

I walk past a family at a gate—a mother, a father, and a little girl holding a stuffed animal. I see the girl’s eyes widen as the announcements chime. I see the momentary flicker of anxiety when her mother stands up to get a bag.

I stop. I reach into my bag and pull out a small, plush bunny—a replica of Barnaby that I keep as a reminder. I walk over and hand it to the girl.…continue reading …