“Because I didn’t want anyone to think I couldn’t manage.”

She put a mug of tea in front of me.

“Being treated badly is not a failure of management.”

That night I slept through Hazel’s first waking stretch, something I had not done in months.

Monica had offered to prepare the bottle and had actually followed through.

I woke embarrassed and grateful, both feelings mixed together.

In the morning, Brenda sent twelve messages accusing me of kidnapping my own daughter.

Brandon threatened to cancel my phone.