Anger bubbled inside of me, or perhaps it was hurt. Maybe it was my self-doubt creeping back in. The doubt that I would ever find out who I was; so far I was merely feeling like a freak — and not in a good way. I was bawling as I drove. Wondering what I could have done differently.

The drive was a good twenty minutes and didn’t do much to calm my nerves. I was speeding, which was unlike me. I didn’t feel like going home, so I drove to a place that held memories for me. It was a private beach. I drove down the small, rough terrain to...