"What do you mean, Mom?"

Mom chuckled again, her familiar, soothing voice washing over me like a gentle breeze. As she ruffled my hair effortlessly, as she had done countless times since I was a knee-high grasshopper, her eyes twinkled with a mixture of affection and motherly concern.

"I've heard rumors about Terrence, sweetie," she began, her fingers still playing with my hair. "They say he's cruel, violent...is there any truth to that?"

I swallowed hard, trying to find the right words to ...