My real son doesn’t think of me as his father at all anymore. Ten years earlier, those words might have saved us.

But remorse that arrives only after everyone has stopped waiting cannot rebuild what the waiting already burned down.

Chapter 15 — What Home Is

The divorce was finalized months later.

Under the settlement, Marcus was ordered to restore Ethan’s college trust in full out of his share of the equity in our home, and to pay substantial support besides.

On the courthouse steps he caught up to me.

“Audrey.