No excuses.

It was not instant forgiveness, and the children did not offer any.

But it was the beginning of accountability, which was more than she had managed in six years.

Around the same time, Dr.

Julian Vance signed a formal admission of professional misconduct regarding his breach of patient privacy, and accepted the suspension of his medical license.

Elena kept a copy of the board’s ruling.

But she refused to build her life around bitterness, or to let the men and women who had wronged her occupy any more of her days than they already had.