this together, then Helen has already shown more courage than I did.”
Laura wiped her eyes.
“What else does it say, Mom?”
“‘I taught my children to depend on their mother because I depended on her too.
I accepted her sacrifices as if they cost her nothing.
Do not repeat my failure.’”
Michael lowered his head.
“I did repeat it,” he said.
“Every time I called about the children but never asked how you were.”
Susan pressed her fingers to her lips.
“I blocked you because you wouldn’t cancel the trip.”
“I know.”
“I wanted you to feel guilty.”
“You succeeded.”
Susan’s shoulders shook.
“I’m sorry, Mom.”
Eleanor moved closer as tears slipped down my face.
She did not tell me to stop crying; she simply took my hand.
Laura spoke through the screen.
“Will you ever forgive us?”
“I can forgive you without returning to the way things were.”
“
