The Birthday Party Where My Mother’s Perfect Image Cracked

”

“Can you put on some makeup before we go? You look tired.”

In labor, when I screamed, he flinched. “Jesus, Erica. Calm down.”

After Sophie was born, everything intensified.

“You’re holding her wrong.”

“Why is she crying? She wasn’t crying when I had her.”

He turned into an expert overnight. Every cry became a test I failed.

The rest of the world saw only continue reading …