“Do you actually want to meet with him?” she asked gently.

I carefully considered the option.

A large part of me wanted to refuse to see him ever again.

However, another part of me understood that avoiding every difficult conversation would allow circumstances to make my life choices for me, just as my years of staying silent had done.

“Yes, I will meet with him,” I decided.

“But I am definitely not doing it alone.”

PART 9