I appreciated that.

I wanted facts, not another fight built on guesses.

I moved copies of the statements into the same folder as the messages and medical records.

Then I checked my pay stub, calculated the bills I could cover, and made a plan for the next month.

When Dad came in from the garage, I told him what I had found.

He sat beside me for a long time without saying anything.

Finally he said, “Your mother would want you to know exactly where you stand before you make a decision.”