Patrick might have been a wonderful grandfather during visits while teaching Toby, indirectly, that part of the family existed behind a closed door.

The harm did not need to fill every day to be real.

“I thought I was keeping the problem between the adults,” she said.

“But he could feel there was a problem.”

“Yes.”

“Then he deserves a simple explanation.

Not the whole argument.

Just enough to know he wasn’t the thing you were ashamed of.”