“You’re broken, Jocelyn. Something inside of you doesn’t work and maybe never did. I’m sure there’s a reason that you’re built this way and why you’re drawn to men that hurt you. Maybe some of your past is so bad, like mine, you’ll never be able to tell me, or maybe you can’t be a mother of any kind … But I’m done.” I shake my head sadly, aware that she isn’t responding to me.

I stand slowly, my heart aching but no longer ripping in two, a pain that is ...