Abandonment

As beautiful and alluring as Serena was always told that she was, she suffered from abandonment issues and a feeling of worthlessness. While ostensibly her home life was nothing short of idyllic, her parents were not there for her emotionally. They certainly loved their two daughters but they didn’t give them what they needed. Serena’s mother was controlling and obsessed with organization and propriety. Her father, a respected Anglican Bishop, was remote and unapproachable.

The obvious pain she felt from her father’s emotional distance is best illustrated when she returns home for Christmas. He surprises her when for once he appears genuinely happy to see her and embraces her. Instead of returning the hug in kind, Serena cries like a child and clings to him. She doesn’t want to let go – she is making up for so many times when she didn...