Chapter 12
Richard confessed only when faced with old evidence and new witnesses.
He did not call it murder.
He called it discipline gone wrong.
I hated him more for that.
Caleb had died protecting Daniel.
Daniel had spent his life denying the lesson.
Or twisting it.
Thomas listened when I told him carefully.
Not everything.
Enough.
He sat very still.
“So Dad was hurt when he was little?”
“Yes.”
“And then he hurt me?”
“Yes.”
“Does that mean I’ll hurt someone?”
I grabbed his hands.
“No.”
His eyes filled.
“How do you know?”
“Because you are asking that question. Because you told the truth. Because we are getting help.”
Nick, sitting nearby, said, “And because I’ll stop you.”
Thomas looked at him.
Then laughed through tears.
A real laugh.
The first in weeks.
Nick smiled too.
Teresa watched them from the doorway with wet eyes.
Custody for Nick moved forward.
Teresa was approved for kinship placement.
He was going to Ohio in a month.
Thomas tried to be happy.
He failed.
Nick did too.
I promised they would visit.
Call.
Write.
Play games online.
Nick looked suspicious.
“People promise stuff.”
“I know,” I said. “So we’ll schedule it with reminders and plane tickets.”
Teresa smiled.
“Spring break in Ohio. Summer in San Diego?”
Thomas nodded hard.
Nick looked down.
“You want me back?”
Thomas shoved his shoulder.
“Obviously.”
Nick wiped his eyes quickly.
May you like
“Cool.”
Children make grief sound casual when it is too big.
