For ten years, I lived under the weight of whispers. In the small Oregon town where I raised my son, people murmured behind fences and over grocery carts, saying things no one should hear about themselves—especially not a young mother trying her best. They judged me for being alone, for not having an explanation they approved of, and for raising a child without a father in sight.
I had no idea that moment would open the door to a story far more complicated—and far more heartbreaking—than anything I’d ever imagined.