She told them about the controlling behavior, the fear, and the years she had spent hiding what was happening. She explained why she had kept quiet and how difficult it had been to imagine starting over when she had children to protect and nowhere she felt certain she could go.
Susan began crying before her mother finished.
Michael sat motionless, his face pale.
When Anna finally fell silent, the room remained quiet.
Then Susan whispered, “Mom, why didn’t you tell us?”
Anna looked at her daughter with tears in her eyes.
“Because I wanted you to have a happy childhood. Because I was afraid. Because I didn’t know how to explain something I had spent years trying to hide from myself.”
Susan moved across the sofa and wrapped her arms around her mother.
“You should never have had to go through that alone.”
Anna broke down.
Michael stood up and walked to the window. For a moment, I thought he was angry with his mother.
