Regretting You

A devoted mother, Morgan commits her life to providing her daughter Clara with the stable home life she herself never received as a child. Described as “predictable” by her daughter (51), Morgan struggles to find her life’s purpose when the distance between her and her daughter grows, as Clara begins The Transition from Childhood to Adulthood. The sudden arrival of a long-lost love and the tragic death of both her husband and sister lead Morgan to reevaluate her choices and question what she really wants out of life.

On her 34th birthday, Morgan begins to doubt her marriage, her purpose, and her role as a mother. Morgan admits that she does “whatever [she] can to avoid confrontation” and that she “couldn’t lie if [her] life depended on it” (42). This inability to lie and tendency to avoid all conflict leads Morgan to isolate herself from those around her. These survival mechanisms are put to the test when Morgan grapples with the sudden introduction of Jonah back into her life after many years apart, as well as the revelation of an affair between her deceased husband and sister. Unable to deny her strong attraction to Jonah, which has been present since they were teens, Morgan navigates her grief and anger while attempting to put distance between them.