The words hung in the air like smoke poisonous smoke, impossible to breathe, burning everything I thought I knew about my life.
My legs gave way under me and I sank back down into my seat hard, the whole room spinning around me in circles. Murmurs rose up like a big tide of water confused whispers, shocked gasps from many mouths, but I could not hear any of it clearly. My ears were ringing. I looked straight at my mother, who was sitting in the front row, her face ashen and pale like paper, tears streaming down her cheeks fast. She was not denying what Elara said. She could not deny it. Her silence said it was true.
"It is not what you think it is," she said, her voice trembling and shaking as she stood up slowly, facing the whole big room full of people. "Lara… I am so sorry I never t
