It did address what the records could establish.

My father looked smaller than he had at family dinners, though I suspected that was partly because he could no longer control the conversation.

He tried to speak directly to me once.

Maren reminded him we were there to discuss the settlement terms.

When the lawyers left us briefly to compare two schedules, he said quietly, ‘I did what I thought was necessary to keep the family afloat.’

I waited for the familiar surge of guilt.