“My daughter left this house five years ago with soft hands and an easy smile,” she said.

“She came back exhausted, frightened to bother anyone, frightened even to ask for food for her own child.

If you love her, then stop chasing her to scrub your own conscience clean.

Carry what you did by yourself.” After that, he stopped coming.

Chapter 20 — Young Enough to Choose

Tristan found me once, weeks later, sitting alone on a low wall near the corner, thinner and unkempt.

“Charlotte,” he said, and Chloe hid behind my skirt.