Hope began crying silently.
Rachel looked at her.
“I’ve hated myself every day.”
“She made me do it.”
Hope shook her head.
“Then why did you lie to me?”
“I wanted you to understand.”
“You wanted me to forgive you.”
Rachel flinched.
Hope continued.
“You wanted me to forgive you.”
“Is that why you came here, even though I asked you not to? Your mom controlled you, decided what was best for you, and now you’re trying to do the same to me?”
For the first time that morning, Rachel had no story left to hide behind.
Rachel looked devastated.
“I’m your mother.”
My body reacted to the words before my mind did.
“Is that why you came here, even though I asked you not to?”
Rachel turned toward me.
I looked at Hope, not Rachel.
“Hope isn’t something either of us gets to win. This is her decision.”
I turned to my daughter.
