“Your father delayed forwarding several reports because he was trying to solve the problem inside the division before headquarters found out. It was a terrible judgment call. But years later, I learned he had also repeatedly requested money for repairs and had been refused by executives above him.”
“By you?”
“No.”
“Your company.”
“Yes.”
The way Arthur said it made clear that the difference did not comfort him.
Grace looked toward the window.
“Dad never really recovered from losing that job.”
I remembered something then.
Dad sitting at our kitchen table late at night with envelopes spread around him.
Mom rubbing his shoulder.
Grace whispering for me to go back to bed.
Arthur continued.
“After your parents died, I learned that Grace had become guardian to both of you.”
“You kept track of us?”
“From a distance.”
“Why?”
He looked at Grace.
“Because I owed your father an apology.”
Grace’s fingers tightened around mine.
