My husband pushed me down the stairs, and as I lay shattered at the bottom, my mother-in-law called my father and said, “Come get your worthless daughter and take her back.” Dad gave her only one warning: “If she has so much as a scratch, your family will answer for it.” They laughed at him because they had absolutely no idea who my father truly was.

I didn’t know anything else yet.”

“But you warned them.”

“I was frightened.

And angry.

I should have chosen my words more carefully.”

I stared at him.

“You regret warning her?”

“I regret sounding as if I could promise what would happen to her family.