6. Accusations

Tumultuous Time

Forgiveness is giving up the hope that the past could have been any different. ― Oprah Winfrey

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My mother was excited about Al’s offer of a place to stay but she was afraid of my father so she needed to plan her exit carefully until an opportunity arose. She remained living outside of the city in the house my father had rented while my father and Ann lived in the loft. She had use of her cousin Ann’s car twice a week to run errands so she began to secretly move some of her things to Al’s apartment over a period of a few weeks. Then, one weekend, she moved the rest of her things to Al’s apartment and made her escape with me. She returned the car to the house, placing a note on the windshield for my father and her cousin Ann saying “I hope you are both happy together.” She sincerely meant it.

Al was a nice quiet guy who cared for me and my mother. He was working and paid for everything. I even had my own room. We were happy there. In the apartment my mother would do yoga every day and I would crawl all over on her while she did the different poses. Then she would pick me up and balance me on her feet. I would smile down on her with joy. I felt like a bird in the sky.