I liked what that word did to people.

Now I hear it and think of how many voices I made it easy to ignore.”

Outside, Owen and Mason were building a lopsided fort with cushions.

The wall fell twice.

Both boys got up to build it again.

I watched them and thought that accountability might look something like that: not pretending the old structure was sound, but refusing to build the next one on the same weak foundation.

PART 17