She would sigh in disgust and insist the only reason I was saying those things was because I was afraid of getting in trouble and not because I meant them. I always trailed behind her as an afterthought, trying to pepper her with compliments: "Mama, you look so beautiful today. I never knew if she was embarrassed by me or if she simply didn't care. I remembered so much about my mother then, the way she always walked ahead of me in parking lots, at the grocery store, or even crossing the street. I waited for someone to acknowledge the mother's aggressive behavior, while my boots and laptop sagged in my fingers. On the other side, I collected my belongings and looked at the guards, who were too busy directing, swiping, and yawning to notice. And the girl, truly unable to get her mother to notice, finally gave up and stared off into space, disconnected, her hand folded protectively in the skirt of her red dress. The woman fussed with the toddler and snapped at the dad. She turned her back to the girl, but Emma clutched her sore hand and jumped up and down in an attempt to get her mother's attention. Her mother wrenched her fingers backward, prying them free. While I waited for confirmation that I wasn't smuggling anything illegal, I saw Emma reach for her brother's toes. I stepped through the full-body scanner, my arms held above my head as they searched my body for hidden weapons.
Ahead, read an exclusive excerpt from Not Her Daughter (out Aug. A story about what it really means to be a mother and the hardships women face when it comes to children, this shocking novel takes an honest look at a complicated mother-daughter relationship. Knowing that Emma's mother is cruel, her kidnapper begins to believe that taking her was for the best. When Amy Townsend's daughter Emma Grace goes missing, she's not sure how much she wants her back.
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