Andrew told her.
About his father.
The missed follow-up.
The lost time.
And finally, that he’d known before entering her hospital room.
Amanda stood.
She went outside alone.
Nobody followed.
Then the door opened.
“Mom?”
I joined her on the porch.
She stared across the yard.
“Was I a project?”
“I can’t answer that for him, sweetheart.”
“What do you think?” she asked.
“I think he loves you.”
She looked at me.
“And I think loving you didn’t give him the right to decide what you could handle.”
Amanda nodded.
Then she asked for Robin.
When I told him what had happened years ago, he sat down.
“That doctor told me we were worrying too much.”
“I remember.”
“I told you maybe he was right.”
“You were trying to believe a doctor.”
“I was her father.”
Later, Robin faced Andrew.
“Did your father ever blame us for not coming back sooner?”
