It wasn’t a collection of people who shared last names and tried to control one another.

It was a network of people willing to act with care when care required effort.

PART 15: What the Girls Deserved

There were complications.

Nathaniel occasionally missed a call because of work, and I refused to cover for him with an invented excuse.

I told the girls he had not been able to call and would need to explain when he did.

He learned to set reminders and to give notice when plans changed.