I grew up in foster care while my sister stayed with our father – years later, she took me to his house and said, "If you go in there…you'll be in danger." - Page 9 of 12

Richard’s eyes closed. “Mrs. Greene said letting you go to another family was the kindest thing I could do.”
Barbara’s laugh was high-pitched and awful. “Grandma repeated that like it was gospel.”
Richard’s voice cracked. “I signed the papers. Your grandmother pushed the pen into my hand.”
He looked up at me, broken.
“I thought I was being noble,” he whispered. “The truth is, I was scared. And I let others decide for me.”
“Grandma cornered me and made a deal.”
Barbara finally turned to me, sobbing now.
“And I just froze,” she said. “Grandma cornered me and made a deal.”
“What deal?” I asked, though I already knew it would make me sick.
Barbara wiped her face. “The university and its aid… if I hadn’t taken in a baby and Dad. If I’d let them place you. If I hadn’t said anything.”
Her voice broke. “I loved you. I wanted to grab you and run away. But I was drowning.”
I looked at her, anger and grief mingling.
“Grandma got rid of them when we moved.”
Richard spoke again, his voice small. “I tried to write you letters.”
My head snapped. “You did?”
He nodded quickly. “Dozens. I kept them in a metal box.”
Barbara’s voice went flat. “Grandma got rid of them when we moved.”