To call Michelle’s family dysfunctional would have been an understatement. She had been robbed of a proper childhood and instead endured years of mental harassment, emotional manipulation, and physical abuse.

Although therapy helped to plant her feet in relative normalcy, she swore she would never have children, but fate had other plans. She married a man too much like her father which would have been her undoing but when she became pregnant, he vanished and she praised his cowardice.

Being a single parent on a minimum wage salary was no mean feat but after giving birth to Lola, Michelle had the opportunity to experience the carefree play denied to her in her youth. If she had a single regret, it was that her daughter was growing up much too quickly which meant her current playtime was running out.

When Lola left for college with her childhood sweetheart, Michelle occupied herself as best she could, ignoring all the empty spaces in her home and began the process of counting the days until the arrival of grandchildren and the subsequent future playdays.