I do not offer that as an excuse.

I offer it as a warning, to myself, permanent: that the people we most want to trust are exactly the ones we must be most willing to see clearly.

Chapter 13 — The Counselor’s Room

A week later, in our first family counseling session, Hannah described the laundry-room conversation in full, to the therapist.

“Pamela told me you needed a normal family now,” Hannah said softly.

“She said I was making everything harder for everyone, because Mom died.” My hands clenched into fists in my lap.