She and my dad got married two years after my mom died. They immediately started trying to have a baby, but nothing happened. After a year, they turned to IVF. It was around the same time my dad sat me down and told me I was being sent abroad. He never said it outright, but I know part of the reason was due to my stepmom. My dad worked late most nights, so she was the one who took care of school pickups and drop-offs. The one who shuttled me to my after-school activities. The one who filled the space my mom left behind.
