13-year-old Tommy built walls around his heart, refusing to accept his adoptive mother’s love. His resentment for her followed her to the grave. One day, he found an envelope addressed to him on her tomb, bearing a truth that shattered his heart and brought him to tears.
The linoleum floor of the children’s shelter squeaked beneath five-year-old Tommy’s worn sneakers. His small fingers clutched a worn teddy bear, its fur matted and faded like a shield against the world’s indifference.
