Terrence and I had to face some things we avoided.

His family treated appearances as proof of character, and I accepted too much of that.

We weren’t ready to marry.”

I nodded.

I didn’t need details of their relationship, but I could hear the work she had done to understand her own place in the family’s story.

“He didn’t cheat on me,” she continued.

“That wasn’t the issue.

He had spent years defending a version of his first marriage that conveniently absolved him of any responsibility.