Chapter 19 - DAVID AS A FATHER
David rebuilt slowly.
Not our marriage.
Fatherhood.
After his professional suspension, he worked in compliance for a nonprofit housing organization.
Lower salary.
No Bennett name advantage.
He hated the first year.
Then became good at it.
Irony:
He reviewed restricted funds.
I said:
“Universe has jokes.”
He agreed.
His parenting became ordinary.
School pickup.
Baseball.
Cardiology appointments when invited.
He learned to ask doctors questions instead of letting me carry all medical knowledge.
At Leo’s catheter procedure, David sat beside me in the waiting room.
We were divorced by then.
He said:
“I keep thinking this trust paid for champagne.”
I looked at him.
“Yes.”
“I hate myself.”
“That is not useful right now.”
He nodded.
“You’re right.”
“Leo needs a father who understands what happened. Not one performing punishment forever.”
He looked at me.
“Do you forgive me?”
“No.”
He absorbed it.
“Okay.”
Then:
“Can I still become someone better?”
“Yes.”
That was more important.
Years later, Leo told him:
“I love you. I still think what you did was bad.”
David answered:
“Both can be true.”
May you like
Good.
No child forced into simplifying a parent.
