A Mother's Lost Decade

lp. I couldn' t

Mary, they had to know

n, Mary a former social worker.

hem, my vo

.. the baby...

e phone. John' s vo

over, Sarah. D

within the ho

ight. "Oh, Sarah

tly. "What in God's name have

flinch. He ju

ou need to s

e, tapped the screen,

photo

from where I sat,

aw thei

laced by a look I couldn' t deci

r mouth, her eyes wide,

hispered. "

l is right, Sarah. The children.

od ran

at are yo

with a strange pity. "It's for the be

itched. Jus

. What was in

ing them into his madne

pened ev

to, anyone I b

kind neighbor, even a pri

them the photo, a

th that same pity, that

hat he's do

ible burden

ne. Utter

hing, everyone, with that