I woke to the dull early morning gray seeping through my blinds. I remained still for a moment. Yesterday's weight still hung on me like a wet blanket. My body ached from a long night, my limbs were heavy, and my mind clouded.

It was strange to be awake. I wasn't well rested but I had survived yesterday's blog post, the backlash, the virtual stoning.I survived and I was proud of that.

There was a deafening silence in the apartment. I turned my head and listened. My mother was still ...