And that mattered.
Mark changed, too.
He began checking in with me more regularly about Emily’s schoolwork, appointments, and emotional well-being. When he took her out for the weekend, he no longer treated every difficult conversation as something that could wait until Monday.
One evening, he called me after dropping Emily home.
“She told me she was worried about going to school tomorrow,” he said.
“She told me the same thing.”
“I asked whether she wanted to talk about it.”
“And?”
“She said not yet. So I told her that was fine, but I’d be available when she was ready.”
I smiled.
“That was good.”
“Don’t sound so surprised.”
“I’m not surprised.”
“You’re absolutely surprised.”
I laughed.
Then he grew serious.
“I think I understand something now. She doesn’t always need me to rescue her from whatever is upsetting her. Sometimes she needs me to sit beside her while she figures out what to do.”
