Nathan had learned that one section on the online application displayed an old family-contact form listing Brian as an emergency contact.

“It feels like he’s everywhere now,” Nathan said.

“Even on things I didn’t know had his name.”

I sat with him and reviewed the form.

It was a stale entry transferred from an early school record, not a requirement that Brian approve anything.

We contacted the school and had the entry corrected.

But the larger problem wasn’t administrative.

Nathan feared that every success would become an invitation for Brian to return and claim some part of it.