“My son was admitted to the pediatric trauma unit, Dad,” he said quietly.

“That is not a household misunderstanding.” “I made a mistake!” Arthur snapped.

“I thought he stole something!

Anyone might have” “He is nine years old,” Julian said.

“And you locked him outside, with no coat, in a freezing storm.” “I couldn’t have known he would wander off the property!” Julian looked through the window of the room to where Lucas lay sleeping, and when he spoke again his voice was terribly calm.

“That’s the whole problem, isn’t it, Dad,” he said.