Gregory the ways that Adam had hurt me. After I decided I would go there with him it took me a while to cover the necessary ground. First I had to tell him about Adam’s relationship with his uncle, then about me getting diagnosed, and about Connie’s death. Only then could I tell him about what had started all the hurt. I filled in that blank with a session-long tale about Adam’s momentous second visit to our home, and the revelation that he’d shared with me about his stepfather’s death. I concluded with an admission to my therapist that he had been exactly right, that Adam had made me vulnerable. I shared stories with him about the joy I felt during the college trips with Adam, and about the remarkable process of getting to know my son over that time period. I acknowledged the heartache of being forced to stay out of his reach. My therapist listened patiently, but I could tell that he recognized that I was dealing with prelude, and he was waiting for the crucial part of my story.
