For years I thought accountability meant hearing someone finally admit every harm out loud.

I began to understand that it might instead mean records corrected, obligations met, and boundaries respected, even when the person responsible remained defensive.

I put the settlement notice away and took Parker to the park.

He wanted to see whether the ducks were still there in winter.

The pond was partly frozen, and the ducks had moved to the open water near a bridge.

“Things change where they live,” he said solemnly.