Oliver led me to his classroom, and only then did I realize that he and Lynley were in the same class, sitting in adjacent rows. He eagerly introduced me to his classmates.

“This is my mommy. She’s back.”

The kids in the class looked surprised, “Isn’t she Lynley’s mom?”

Oliver’s joyful expression faltered, but he stubbornly insisted that I was his mother. I patted his little head and smiled.

“Yes, I am your mommy.”

Oliver’s eyes lit up again. He was a child in need of affection. I held him close and looked through the praise he had received at school.

At that moment, a familiar voice cut through the...