I could acknowledge that Judith might love Willa while still requiring her to respect the boundaries that made contact safe and healthy.

Judith eventually sent a shorter letter.

She did not defend her decisions this time.

She apologized for allowing Bianca to live in our house while I was in the hospital, and for placing the company’s interests ahead of my health.

I did not know whether she had written it because she genuinely understood or because Gavin had begun refusing her excuses.

For the moment, that didn’t matter.