Ivy grew up learning to navigate a childhood shaped by absence. Though her parents never formally left her life, they slowly stepped away as they built new families and new routines that no longer included her. By the time Ivy was ten, she understood that she was no longer a priority. Eventually, both of her parents remarried and welcomed new children, and the space Ivy once occupied grew smaller until it disappeared altogether. When her mother and father finally agreed that Ivy should live with her Aunt Carol “for a while,” they packed her belongings into trash bags and left without answers. But what they saw as an easy solution became the beginning of a life-changing relationship. Aunt Carol welcomed Ivy with warmth, consistency, and encouragement—qualities Ivy had almost forgotten existed. She created a safe home, nurtured Ivy’s growing love for art, and reminded her every day that she was valued.
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