“Yes.”
My anger became cold.
“So why now?”
Trudy looked down.
“I retired a few months ago. Once I stopped telling myself I was still protecting a patient, I had to admit I was really protecting myself.”
I stood.
“Ten years is a long time to hide behind one bad decision.”
Then I walked out.
The following afternoon, I opened a storage box filled with Teagan’s things.
School programs.
Photos.
A cheap silver bracelet she wore almost every day.
Then I found another photograph of the same boy.
Same face.
Same baseball glove.
Beneath it was a torn notebook page.
Buy diapers.
Finish thank-you cards.
Ask Mom about night classes.
Tell Mom.
