This has gotten completely out of control.” As if the bruises had simply appeared on my body.

As if the financial documents had walked themselves out of locked drawers.

As if the guardianship petition had filed itself.

“You can stop this,” he whispered.

“You’ve made your point.”

“My point,” I repeated.

And I saw his fear curdle, in an instant, back into anger, the way it always had with Michael, ever since he was a boy, fear turning to anger the moment it could not get what it wanted.

“You want revenge,” he hissed, “because Dad left everything complicated.