Then Margaret added, “I trusted him differently.”
“What does that mean?”
“The first time, I trusted him because I believed he would never disappoint me. The second time, I trusted him because I had watched what he did after he disappointed me.”
No one spoke.
Finally, Margaret said, “Emily, are you there?”
“Yes.”
“I hope you know I’m not telling you what decision to make.”
“I know.”
“You don’t owe my son your marriage.”
Mark lowered his eyes.
“But the girls deserve whatever peace the adults around them can honestly build.”
Emily looked toward the bassinets.
“I agree.”
After the call ended, Mark folded the letter.
“I’m sorry.”
Emily’s expression tightened.
Mark quickly added, “I know you said you didn’t want speeches.”
“I don’t.”
“So I’ll stop there.”
For some reason, that mattered.
Not enough.
But it mattered.
Over the following weeks, Mark learned the girls’ routines.
