But the deliberate burdening of my child — the theft of his security, the weaponizing of his love — that I have never fully forgiven, and I am not sure I am meant to.

Some things a person does to a child should sit at the top of the ledger, permanently, and never quite come down.

Chapter 2 — You Didn’t Do Anything Wrong

“Where did you see them, Theo?” I asked, as gently as I could.

He pointed one small finger, without hesitation, at our bed.

“In here.

When I was sick with the fever.

Daddy didn’t have his shirt on, and she was wearing your white robe.