“That’s Evelyn’s fault,” Derek said.

“You should be calling her.

You should be yelling at her.

She’s the one who abandoned a child after she promised to help.”

He answered every question with an instant accusation.

It was his favorite way to end any argument about his spending or his frequent nights out with friends.

Attack the premise, blame someone else, and walk away.

“I came home six days early,” I said.