Because what was in his voice was not really an apology.

It was a request for comfort — for me to lift the weight off him, to tell him it was all right, to hand him the forgiveness that would let him breathe again.

And that was a comfort he had not earned, and I was done, after nine years, handing this man things he had not earned.

Chapter 17 — You Don’t Fix This With an Apology

We left Fabian’s house as the light was going down.

Matthias walked me to Romina’s car, where I was buckling the baby in.