in front of him.
“I learned about it today. Tell me.”
Dad stared at the wooden sunflower.
“Your mother was away. Laura knocked on the door. She said she wanted to come home.”
My throat closed.
“And what did you tell her?”
“Your mother had finally started sleeping again. You had moved out. Things were beginning to settle.”
“Settle?”
“People had stopped talking.”
“About Thomas?”
Dad looked down.
“About everything. Laura leaving. The embarrassment. Me not being able to control my own daughter.”
I stared at him.
“Control?”
“That isn’t
