At least, for once, that wasn’t the only thing he seemed to want.

“I thought you’d always be there,” he admitted.

“You assumed my money would always be there,” I corrected.

He winced, then nodded.

We talked about Thomas and his determination to keep the family together after his own father died.

Daniel remembered how Thomas taught him to repair household appliances instead of replacing them immediately.

Somewhere, Daniel said, he’d started to treat having things as proof of being worthy.

I didn’t excuse the way he treated me, but I recognized the fear beneath his pride.