almost gave him the easy answer.
It wasn’t your fault.
But that would be false.
Responsibility is not the same as malicious intent.
“You should have known more.”
“Yes.”
“You owned the household.”
“Yes.”
“You let other people turn your name into fear.”
“Yes.”
“You didn’t ask how staff policies worked because the house functioned.”
“Yes.”
I stared.
“You are making this argument unpleasantly easy.”
“I have practice.”
Then I added:
“But once you knew, you listened.”
He looked at his espresso.
“Eventually.”
“That matters.”
Not absolution.
Not nothing.
He nodded.
“Thank you.”
Three years after Mia first crawled into Alessandro’s office, David asked to meet her.
Not me.
Her.
He had maintained child support.
Sent one birthday card each year through counsel.
No surprise visits.
No pressure.
His counselor sent a letter confirming ongoing treatment only because David authorized it and because I requested information before considering contact.
He
