with a friend. Dad said the debts weren’t overwhelming.
“He was embarrassed,” Mom explained. “Your brother has always had trouble admitting when he’s scared.”
“And Veronica?”
“She was scared too.”
Her answer caught me off guard. Through the window, I’d seen Veronica directing everyone with complete confidence. Dad read my reaction.
“She can be difficult,” he observed. “But difficult isn’t the same as evil.”
That was Dad: unwilling to label people simply good or bad. Sound timber had flaws; warped boards could sometimes be saved. He judged people the same
