believe I mattered to Mrs. Rhode as much as she mattered to me.
I grew up in foster care, so maybe I should have known better. My mother left me when I was a baby, and my father spent my childhood behind bars. I learned early that adults could make promises and mean nothing. I learned to pack fast, keep my important things together, and avoid crying in front of strangers.
When I aged out, I left with two trash bags of clothes and no plan. I ended up in
