I held it open while he marched inside, proud of his mission.

Once, I had believed that loving a child meant standing in every doorway so he would never fall.

Now I understood that even a mother could only hold the door.

The person walking through had to choose what kind of life to build on the other side.

PART 23: The Call That Changed My Life

People sometimes ask what I said on those three phone calls after my son hit me.

They expect a brilliant threat or a clever legal trick.