A leaking tap.

A loose cabinet hinge.

A light fixture in the guest room.

Kenneth had always promised to fix them when work calmed down.

I called a professional and booked the repairs myself.

I understood then that recovery was not a single speech followed by applause.

It was sometimes an invoice paid, a document filed, a phone call unanswered, and a quiet dinner eaten without fear of what someone would demand next.

PART 16 — A Different Meaning of Family