Chapter 12 - RYAN’S APOLOGY WAS HARDER TO HEARBecause I loved him.
Or had.
Maybe still did in some wounded form.
He said:
“I knew Mom’s punishments bothered me.”
Not enough.
“I knew you would stop them.”
Closer.
“I told Noah not to tell you because I wanted to avoid a fight with my mother.”
There.
“I chose my comfort over our son’s safety.”
That sentence mattered.
Then:
“I signed documents describing his reactions as behavioral problems even after I suspected the punishments were causing those reactions.”
Yes.
“I let him believe protecting your feelings was more important than telling you the truth.”
My eyes filled.
That was the deepest betrayal.
Not only silence.
Recruiting Noah into silence.
Ryan continued:
“I did not put the chain on him.”
I stared.
He immediately said:
“That is not a defense.”
Good.
“I was still responsible for standing there.”
We sat in silence.
Then I said:
“I don’t know if I can trust you again.”
“I know.”
May you like
He did not ask me to decide quickly.
That helped more than begging would have.
