“She took my phone.”
“Before that.”
Mom looked away.
That hurt more than I expected.
“Mom.”
“She told me you were injured.”
My blood ran cold.
“What?”
“She came into my room one night and said there had been an incident during deployment.”
I sat down slowly.
“What exactly did she say?”
“That your unit had contacted her privately. She said you were alive, but badly hurt. She told me you didn’t want me upset.”
“That never happened.”
“I know that now.”
Her voice cracked.
For the first time since I found her, the anger disappeared.
“She used you against me, Samuel.”
I took her hand.
Mom continued.
“Whenever I threatened to contact someone, she said she would tell the Army I was unstable and interfering with your service. She said you had signed documents agreeing with her.”
“Documents?”
Mom nodded.
“She showed me your signature.”
My stomach tightened.
