A Secret She Couldn’t Shake

Ana and Owen had discussed the possibility before. With foster children, the idea of birth parents reentering their lives is always a shadow in the background. But in Olive’s case, they believed the chances were slim. Even so, Ana felt strongly against any of her children seeking out their biological parents.

Her anger toward people who abandoned their children ran deep, shaping her opinions in ways she didn’t like to admit. To her, it felt like opening the door to unnecessary pain. Helping Olive find people who had walked away seemed, in Ana’s eyes, like an invitation for heartbreak and a reminder of a past best left behind.