At home, I confronted my mother, suspecting her involvement. She’d never liked Suzie, but I never realized how much her constant criticisms had affected Suzie until I found a letter from Mom, calling Suzie “not good enough.” “You’ve trapped him with this pregnancy,” it read. The truth hit hard: my mother’s actions had driven Suzie to leave.

I learned from Suzie’s friend, Sara, that Suzie had felt “trapped” by the pregnancy and my mother’s cruelty. She feared my mother would turn me against her. Suzie’s disappearance was her way of escaping her emotional turmoil.

A year later, Suzie returned, apologizing for leaving. She had struggled with postpartum depression and her feelings of inadequacy. With therapy, she had rebuilt herself. “I didn’t want to leave,” she confessed, “but I didn’t know how to stay.” Together, we worked through the pain, rebuilding our family and love for one another.