Tommy drew a tiny office building in the corner when I brought it home.

I also started seeing a counselor myself.

In one session I admitted that I had spent years staying quiet because I feared conflict would harm our family.

Instead, the silence had allowed problems to grow.

“What would you do differently now?” she asked.

“Speak earlier,” I said.

“And believe people when they show me how they treat me.”

She asked whether I could forgive myself for not leaving sooner.