The moment the limo pulled up to the curb, I was rattled. I kept thinking of earlier that morning, how I kissed Sophia good-bye and how she smiled, squeezing me tight, not in the least concerned about me leaving. I took it to mean that Sophia didn’t really care about me, and that I was probably gone way too often at work, and that leaving now meant I was crappy mother. My mom said it meant my daughter was happy and well-adjusted and that I should be grateful to have such a lovely child. The story I was making up was totally bogus, I know, but being a mom makes me literally crazy. Like, I just don’t want to fuck it up for Sophia. She has one childhood, one chance. That’s why I need this job to work out. If I get the money, Sophia can have everything. And when I had my I’m-leaving-my-daughter-for-the-first-time panic attack in the limo, Landon could have decided then and there I belonged in a crazy-bin.
