She nodded. “That’s okay too.”

Kobe took the handmade crown and set it beside the new one on the party bench. In that moment my eight-year-old understood something many adults never do: forgiveness doesn’t require immediate trust.

Chapter 10 — Changed Behavior

I stepped outside while Sailor went back to Mom.

“She needed to apologize,” Mom said quietly.

“You should have called first.”

“You probably would have said no.”