They could love their father and love me, without having to choose a side in every conversation.

But they could no longer decide which information I could bear to hear.

Patricia accepted that.

Karen did too, after a conversation in which she cried and I nearly apologized simply to stop her.

I didn’t apologize.

I made tea instead.

PART 4 — Forty-Eight Payments

The appointment with the bank’s trust staff was set for Thursday morning.