Cut Scene: Advent by Candlelight

This moment didn’t make the final cut of The Motherhood Mandate. But it mattered. And it still does.

This scene was originally part of The Motherhood Mandate, but it had to be cut for length. I held onto it because it captures something quiet and powerful. Rylee is navigating judgment, tradition, and her own resolve in a setting that’s supposed to feel safe. Advent by Candlelight isn’t dramatic, but it’s layered: isolation, performative kindness, and the slow, steady return of her voice. I couldn’t let it vanish.