She was working part-time and repaying costs associated with the fraudulent claim.

She understood that her legal obligations were only one part of what she needed to repair.

At the end she wrote, “When we were little, you followed me everywhere.

I thought being your big sister meant I could make up the rules.

I was wrong.

You deserved somebody who would stand beside you.”

I folded the letter and put it away.

For months I didn’t reply.