Later Gregory told me he had nearly interrupted her decision to wait.

He thought Denise might feel rejected.

“But that’s not Paige’s responsibility,” he said.

“I know now.”

I looked at him carefully.

His willingness to put our daughter’s needs ahead of another adult’s expectations mattered far more than any apology he could rehearse.

PART 18

Violet took me to the old community center on a Saturday morning.