The backyard was filled with quiet sobs.
Greg slowly lowered his hands.
“I didn’t know.”
“No.”
Liam folded the papers carefully.
“You didn’t.”
He looked toward me.
“Mom spent 18 years protecting you.”
I shook my head.
“I wasn’t protecting him.”
“You were.”
Liam smiled sadly.
“You kept telling everyone Dad was just stressed.”
He wasn’t wrong.
For years, I had made excuses because admitting the truth felt like admitting our family was broken.
Liam turned back to Greg.
“I don’t hate you.”
Greg looked up hopefully.
“But I won’t let Mom keep carrying blame that never belonged to her.”
Greg took one hesitant step forward.
“I was wrong.”
No one answered.
He took another step.
“I spent years mourning a life that never existed.”
His voice trembled.
“And while I was doing that…”
He looked directly at Liam.
“…I missed the incredible son standing right in front of me.”
Liam listened without expression.
