“You did all of this to yourself.

You showed me exactly who you were, all on your own, when you thought no one was watching.” And the heavy mahogany doors slammed shut behind her, and her screaming faded down the drive, and then, for the first time in longer than I could remember, my massive house fell into a profound and peaceful silence.

I turned around, and I sat down on the sofa across from Marisol, and I saw that my two daughters had positioned themselves on either side of her, each holding one of her hands.

And I understood that I owed this woman, and my children, a conversation I had been avoiding for far too long.