At My Purple Heart Ceremony, My Stepmother Swung a Folding Chair Into My Arm—Then My Father Looked Down Instead of Protecting Me
One hour.
Diane did not try to mother me.
Excellent start.
She knew enough about Gertrude to understand there would be no:
blended-family reunion.
Charles told her the truth before they married.
At least his version of it.
Later he asked whether I wanted to tell her anything myself.