“Evelyn, he wants to say he’s sorry, he’s been crying all night” “My son is in a hospital bed,” I said, “recovering from a night in a freezing storm, because of a lie your son told.

Mason can be as sorry as he likes, and one day there may be a place for that.

But my son does not owe anyone his forgiveness right now, and he is not going to be handed a crying cousin to comfort.

His apology can wait.” I was not cruel to Mason; he was a child, and I do not believe in being cruel to children, not even in the aftermath of this.

But I was not going to sacrifice my son’s recovery to soothe anyone’s guilt.