My father died when I was 12. It was a very painful time for me, as I had already lost my mother when I was very young. My only support was my stepmother, as I had no other siblings. Apparently, she didn’t feel the same. She barely spoke to me through the funeral and all, and within two months, it was all over. My stepmom, the only mother I ever had, dumped me at my grandparents and remarried. I was devastated, but my grandparents were incredible and supported me all through. I broke all contact with her. She also wasn’t very interested in keeping in touch.

20 years later, I ran into her at the hospital (I am a doctor), and she begged me to listen. What she said shocked me. Apparently, my father’s death had sent her into deep depression, and she only realized how bad it was after a couple of years. By this time, her new husband had also filed for divorce, and she spent years in therapy, trying to overcome her depression over losing my father and abandoning me.