Lake:

I thanked Mrs. Lockwood and rose from the chair, holding the wooden box firmly in my right hand. Coming to terms with the fact that I had been lied to all my life was not the easiest thing to do, but it was something I knew I had to do. I had spent all my life hating my mother, despising her for leaving and hoping she was dead. I had even looked her in the eyes and told her to her face that she was indeed dead to me. How did one ever come back from that?

I dragged myself ...