“You walked away. I stayed.”
My voice remained calm, although my hands were trembling.
“You sent packages. I raised three women. Do not confuse those things.”
June reached into her bag and placed a folder beside my dinner plate. My chest tightened.
“What is that?”
Rose answered.
“We planned to tell you after dinner.”
May wiped a tear from her face.
“We had the documents prepared.”
“What documents?”
June pushed the folder toward me.
“Adult adoption papers.”
I stared at her.
“You’re already adults.”
“That is why the decision belongs to us,” Rose said.
Lisa whispered,
“No.”
June turned toward her.
“Yes.”
Lisa looked at me.
“You’re going to allow this?”
I looked at the three young women I had raised from the day they were born.
“I’m listening to them.”
Lisa grabbed her handbag.
“This is cruel.”
May stepped forward.
“No. Cruel was abandoning us and returning only because people began asking uncomfortable questions.”
