I married my high school sweetheart – but on our first anniversary, I overheard a phone call that left me gasping.

too loudly to cover the ache. Then there was Diane, my stepmother, who never missed a chance to twist the knife.

“Sandra, honey,” she said at Thanksgiving two years ago, in front of the whole table. “You’re the girlfriend who couldn’t close the deal!”

Everyone laughed. I did, too. I’m good at laughing.

There were other things I was good at ignoring, or continue reading …