My mother refused immediately and stormed out of the café in anger. My father remained seated with his head lowered before quietly admitting he should have protected us years earlier.
Weeks passed after that meeting. My father began calling every Sunday evening to ask about Dylan’s school and my work. The conversations felt awkward at first but gradually became sincere. Eventually he visited our house and apologized directly to Dylan for laughing during the dinner incident.
Dylan looked at him carefully and asked, “So I am not a bad grandkid.”
My father answered with emotion in his voice, “You never were.”
Over the following months my father sold part of his business to stabilize finances and stopped secretly rescuing Kevin. My sister Marissa also apologized to Dylan and admitted she had laughed because she had learned to survive our family by agreeing with my mother.
Meanwhile my mother remained distant and sent only one letter accusing me of dividing the family and demanding that I remember my place if I wanted to be welcomed again.