“I went to bed, hoping our worries would go away with the night and the new light of the morning would bring my mom out of her slump and the stress out of her heart. School was my sanctuary. There was plenty of food at lunch, caring adults that had to smile and be pleasant no matter what, and recess, which meant plenty of running. It didn’t really matter if Bill was home or not; my mother still carried her burdens on her shoulder.”
