in which Chanter's heart breaks for a childhood hera

Be forewarned: Below, there will be mourning and backstory from my formative years, all tangled up together. It is intensely personal and quite revealing. If you'd rather skip it, I won't object.

( Cut for very personal heartache )

I called my mother with the news today, after I heard. I thought she was kidding when she said she was sorry for my loss, then found out she wasn't. Thanks, Mom. I underestimated you there, and I'm sorry. Mine is nothing, *nothing*, by comparison, but... yes, it is a loss, and it aches.