“I did that too,” he whispered.
“What?”
His thumb moved across the crooked brass latch.
“I raised you believing family came first.”
His eyes filled.
“Your mother died, and I built my life around staying for you.”
He swallowed.
“Then you followed what I taught you, and I punished you because I didn’t approve of the person you chose to stay for.”
I looked at him.
“You were wrong to leave me.”
He nodded.
“But I wasn’t doing everything right either,” I said.
Dad looked surprised.
“I thought loving Elliot
