S Stuffing and Scars
A teddy bear survived twenty-seven years and two countries, over twenty moves. It took one distracted afternoon to pull her apart and me with her. But we are both being sewn back together. Stitch by stubborn stitch.
I traced my bloodline all the way back, through my mother, my grandmother, and every woman before them who was handed a child and no tools to raise one. I carry them all. I have decided I will be the last in the line. Nobody comes after me.
Where I trace the origins of my oldest wounds, back to the child who was asked to carry what no child should, and forward to the adult still learning to set it down.