But that person was never real.

I was in love with a performance, and you can’t really miss something that was never there.” She considered that.

“Does loving someone mean you have to forgive them for everything they do wrong?” she asked.

It was a big question from a small person, and I gave it the care it deserved.

“Loving someone does not mean you throw away your boundaries, Hannah,” I said.

“And forgiving someone, even if you choose to do it someday, never means you have to let an unsafe person back into your life.