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.

I watched them walk away until they disappeared into the moving crowd of travelers.

Thirty minutes passed.

Then forty-five.

Soon the boarding announcements for Flight 278 to Honolulu echoed through the terminal, cheerful and melodic in a way that suddenly felt cruel. Around me, passengers gathered luggage and disappeared down the jet bridge one by one.

Gradually, the terminal emptied.…continue reading …