“For years,” she said, “I assumed that as long as Daniel was married to you, we would never have to worry about money.” “And that,” I said, “was the fundamental problem, Theresa.” She nodded, slowly.

“I know.” And then she reached into her purse and pulled out a photograph she had taken on her phone the night of the dinner party: the whole family around the laden table, Lauren smiling, Aaron raising a glass, Daniel looking away, and me, in the corner, in front of a completely bare white plate.

She set it on my desk.

“When I looked at this picture later,” she said, and the tears spilled over, “I finally saw the monster I had been.