The Whisper: My Mother's Twisted Protection

re frequent after the

side by her hair, accusing her of steal

round on the front lawn

thief! Ungra

d to gather, dra

treet, a retired nurse, gasped.

ty church, pushed his way to the fron

you doing?" he demanded, his fac

down to hel

chest heaving. She s

ked over to P

ps moving, that same

read filling her. Not h

tially filled with righte

is eyes, then a dawning,

d back fr

roat, his voice s

d leave. This is a... a priva

s no kindness there anymore, onl

mplicated than they appear,"

d, muttering, avoi

, her face etched with conflict, bef

bed Sarah's arm and haule

tion was

tective Servic

ocial worker, had visited a fe

yes full of concern. "Sarah, you can

hope, pouring out a jumb

ooked horrified,

spoken to Br

whis

. Davies came, s

uarded. She spo

s can be very c

ne thing on the surface is actua

ing for Sarah, for he

ficult, perhaps even a da

Ms. Davies said, not meeting Sarah's gaz

ed "unsubstantiated" or "family r

ne. The whisper had