There was nothing in me but shame.

“I don’t expect you to forgive me quickly,” I said.

“But I want to spend the rest of my life making up for what I did to you.” She did not answer.

She was not being cruel.

She simply knew — better than I did — that nursing my body back to health was not the same as healing the seven years, and she was not going to pretend otherwise to make me feel better.

Her honesty, even then, was the most faithful thing in my life.