“I promise you both, right now,” I said.

“I will never, ever put my work ahead of your safety again.

No more long business trips where I disappear for a week.

No more ignoring your voices when you tell me something is wrong.

If you ever tell me something is wrong, either of you, about anyone, the whole world stops until I fix it.

You will never again have to gather your courage to tell me a truth I don’t want to hear, because from now on, your voices are the most important sound in my life.” It was the promise I should have made years ago.

I intended to spend the rest of my life making up for having made it so late.