Together they discussed small next steps—counseling, legal guidance, privacy protections. Elise promised to keep their conversation confidential until Olivia was ready. “You’ve already done the hardest part,” she said. “You stopped lying to yourself.”
When Olivia stood to leave, the baby nestled against her shoulder, Elise felt something inside her unclench. The girl who had once trembled through labor now walked with a quiet resolve, fragile but forward-moving.