Abandoned by her parents at just 10 years old, Melody found love and stability with her aunt and uncle, who treated her like she was their own.

Now twenty-two years old and thriving in her IT career, Melody’s success catches her biological parents’ attention.

But reconnecting isn’t so simple, leaving Melody to show them that some bonds cannot be repaired…

I was ten when my life split in two.

One minute, I was unpacking my school bag at home, and the next, my parents were rushing me into the car with a suitcase, promising we were going to visit Gran for a little while.

“You love it at Gran’s, don’t you, Melody?” my mother asked, tying my hair into a long ponytail.

I nodded.

I thought it was a fun adventure.

I didn’t realize “a little while” would mean forever.

It started when my younger sister, Chloe, was five. She’d been doing gymnastics at the local rec center, and her coach swore that she was a natural.

“She could go all the way,” he said. “I mean, seriously.

I’m talking about competitions and the works!”

My parents latched onto those words like a life raft. Chloe wasn’t just a little girl twirling in leotards anymore. Suddenly, she was their golden ticket to life.

Everything became about Chloe.

Her training, her competitions, her future. They said uprooting the family would be worth it if she could become an Olympic champion of something.

But…

They just didn’t want me tagging along.

At first, they framed it as something noble.

“You’re older, Melody,” they told me.

I remember how my mother beamed at me, as though doing this would be the most important thing in my life. As if I was saving them or doing something so meaningful for our family.

“This will give you a chance to bond with Gran, Mel,” my father said.

“And we’ll visit all the time, and you’ll see, it will be fun!”

But they didn’t visit. They didn’t call much, either. Eventually, when I was about to turn eleven, my gran sat me down and explained the truth.

“Your parents think Chloe’s got a real shot at something big, my love.

They need to focus on her, so they left you here with me.”

Her voice was kind but firm, and I could see the anger simmering beneath her words.

My gran tried her best, but she was getting on in age and could only do so much. She had also stopped driving because of her eyesight, so getting to and from school was becoming a nightmare.