Chapter 2: The Story We Believed

“Your mom… isn’t coming back right now, sweetheart,” Dad whispered.

“When is she coming home?” I asked.

He swallowed hard.

“I don’t know.”

So we waited. That night. Then the next. Then the next. But Mom never came home.

Three months later, Jean arrived carrying a casserole dish and wearing a smile that made my stomach twist, even though I was too young to understand why.

“Girls,” Dad said softly, “this is Jean. She’s a friend from work.”

Jean knelt down immediately.

“Hi, sweethearts,” she said warmly. “I’ve heard so much about you.”

Lily hid behind me. I just stared.

Less than a month later, Jean became our stepmother. At first, she seemed kind. She packed lunches, read bedtime stories, and helped Lily braid ribbons into her hair… Continue Reading ⬇️