Finally Margaret said:
"I remember that lamp."
Ethan looked up.
"What?"
"You were six."
He stared.
"I didn't talk to you."
His throat tightened.
"Two days."
"I thought it was one."
"It was two."
Margaret looked devastated.
"I'm sorry."
Ethan looked away.
"I thought silence was better than yelling."
"It wasn't."
"I know."
Another silence.
Different this time.
Not punishment.
Space.
Margaret said:
"I don't want Noah to be afraid of me."
"He is."
She closed her eyes.
"I know."
"That doesn't go away because you're sorry."
"I know."
"And I'm not putting him back in your house alone."
She nodded.
"I understand."
"Maybe ever."
Margaret swallowed.
"Okay."
Ethan expected resistance.
There was none.
That mattered.
She continued.
"I'd like to earn supervised visits."
Ethan almost smiled at the phrasing.
"Your therapist teach you that?"
"Yes."
"Sounds official."
"Apparently boundaries need vocabulary."
He laughed once.
So did she.
Then both became serious.
Margaret looked at him.
"Were you afraid of me?"
Ethan thought.
"As a kid?"
"Yes."
"Sometimes."
Her eyes filled.
"I didn't know."
"I know."
"Why didn't you tell me?"
He laughed softly.
"Because I was afraid of you."
The circular cruelty of it reached her.
Margaret started crying.
Ethan let her.
He did not fix it.
Did not reassure.
Did not say she did her best.
Maybe she did.
That did not erase consequences.
Eventually she asked:
"Did I ruin you?"
Ethan shook his head.
"No."
She looked relieved.
Then he added:
"But that's not the standard."
Her relief disappeared.
He continued.
"Surviving something doesn't prove it was okay."
Margaret nodded slowly.
"Your therapist?"
"No."
He smiled faintly.
"Mine."
The first visit happened at a park.
Public.
One hour.
Ethan present.
Margaret brought no gifts.
That was deliberate.
Her therapist advised against using presents to force warmth.
Noah saw her.
Stopped.
Margaret stayed where she was.
Did not rush.
"Hi, Noah."
He held Ethan's hand.
"Hi."
Margaret's eyes filled.
She smiled.
"Your dad says you've been learning to ride your bike."
Noah looked up at Ethan.
He nodded.
"You can tell her."
Noah said:
"I don't need training wheels."
Margaret smiled.
"That's wonderful."
No criticism.
No warning about falling.
No correction of posture.
They walked.