The One He Let Go

e

set buzzed around me, but my mind was steady. After years of clawing my way to where I was, sitting in front of

his forties named Benjamin Carr,

ive in three

ked red, and the

woman Kendra Lewis. Known for her bold reforms and fierce advocacy for underrepresented communities, she's b

the media. "Thank you for having me,

ward, claspin

Kendra Lewis. Yet today, you're one of the youngest women to hold office in Congress. Many peop

tered, just

hard work and perseverance. My journey wasn't ea

lfare and education reform seems deeply personal. Do you

o cling to me as a toddler, the tears I had wiped away before leaving

ld have to grow up feeling unwanted or unsupported. My work is dedicated to

diplomatic response. But then he shifted in

. People have noticed a resemblance between you and someone else, a form

rs tightened against the armrest, but I

eople love to speculate, don't they? But I prefer to focus on

didn't

s or a notable background. It makes people wonder about the woman behind the

rd slightly, m

eate. I've worked hard for everything I've achieved, and I'm not

oving on to safer topics. The rest of the interview went smoothly, but his

..

and into the back seat of my car. My assistant Cl

out looking up. "The network is alr

to the cityscape flashing past the window, memor

me even now. No matter how much I had achieved,

hink about starting over? Completely era

d. "I don't know. I guess i

y head. "

as a reason

..

Harper sat at the kitchen table, coloring in her favorite book

voice soft but curious. "

ing against the edge of the pot. The qu

ut Aiden once, thinking her five-year-old mind would let it sli

r a story about family. Out of nowhere, she'd asked why it was just the two of us. Her big brown eyes, so full of cur

e then, Harper hadn't stopped asking. Every night, she wanted to know more

ntinued, her voice brea

ou yet," I said gently,

d, putting do

't know a

ing over to si

etie. But one

"Why not? Don't brothers

ot the right time. Aiden doesn't know about you because Mommy had to leave him

ened, glistening with

m? Did he ge

al wave. I hugged her tight

rown-ups have to make really hard decisions to keep everyo

uried her face in

ant him t

the top of her head. "How could he not? You're th

lightly, but her voic

omise,

you'll meet Aiden. And I'm sure he'll

crayons. On the table, her coloring book lay open to a page wit

den?" I asked, poin

ed, her cur

he looks lik

wn, studying

with a smile. "But you'll know it's

in. As I turned back to the stove, I coul

..

uzzed on the nightstand. I picked it up, squ

el

oice I hadn't hea

should I s

caught. "W

Don't play dumb. You

e? Someone else from my past who ha

d, my voice trembling despite

ne wen