My quivering heart won.

I wanted to meet my mother. I wanted to know her.

Yes, it might be too soon. Yes, it might come with consequences. But I needed to hug her. I needed her arms around me.

If the worst comes to worst, I would stay with Diana and her family. Just let my mother know that I was alive. Let she be bereft of this hurtful pain.

Still, Dora? Really? You couldn’t think of a better name that didn’t have the same syllabic pronunciation like your real name? My mind chided me, yet I looked unfazed, refusing to give my feelings away.

I hadn’t been thinking. I...