We named her Eliza in whispers, a name carried like a secret between my husband, Michael, and me.
But as the years dragged on, the grief changed us. Michael left, unable to live with my sadness, or maybe his own.
So it became just the two of us: me and Junie, and the invisible shadow of the daughter I’d never known.
***
The first day of first grade felt like a fresh start. Junie marched up the sidewalk, pigtails swinging, and I waved, praying she’d make friends.
I spent the day cleaning, trying to scrub off my nerves.
The grief changed us.
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