You built a wall of receptionists three deep around yourself.

And years before any of that — when I was young and struggling — I did try, through your old contacts, and you never once replied.

So when I learned I was pregnant, four years ago, freshly and publicly branded a thief, with no job and no savings and no name left to my own name, I made a decision.

I was not going to crawl across the state of Texas to beg a man who had always, every single time, found a convenient reason to leave.”

He had no defense, so he offered none.

“I want to be in her life,” he said quietly.