“I’m not.” There was a long silence, and then, softly, “I understand.” And before I hung up, I said the thing I most needed her to hear, because it was the thing that the whole story had been trying to teach everyone in it.

“Diane.

You need to understand something too.

Handing over that hard drive saved a lot of innocent people, and I will always be grateful for it.

But doing the right thing at the very last minute does not erase the months you stayed silent while I was being hurt.

Both things are true.

You helped save people, and you also let me be harmed to protect your comfort, for a very long time before you found your courage.

You have to carry both.” She wept, and said, “I know, Sabrina.