She had loved us.
She had also made a terrible choice.
Both things could be true.
Today, Rachel has become part of our lives.
She comes to Sunday dinners, attended Leo’s graduation, and filled our home with stories about the mother he had never known.
Johnson remained family too.
Forgiving her and Rachel took time.
Understanding Goldi took even longer.
I no longer think of her only as the woman who walked away from her newborn son.
I think of her as a frightened young mother who believed becoming a villain was the final gift she could give us.
She was wrong.
But she loved us. And after 18 years, Leo and I finally knew enough to grieve her instead of hate her.
