Margaret nodded slowly.
“And that’s the part I will remember.”
She turned away.
Daniel reached for her.
“Mom, please.”
She stepped back.
“Don’t touch me.”
He froze.
I put my arm around Margaret.
Then Richard walked toward me.
“Thomas.”
I looked at him.
“I owe you an apology.”
I didn’t answer.
He looked embarrassed.
“I knew Vanessa was difficult.”
Vanessa stared at him.
“Dad!”
He ignored her.
“I didn’t know she had become cruel.”
He looked at Margaret.
“Mrs. Whitmore, I’m sorry.”
Margaret nodded politely.
“Thank you.”
Then Richard turned toward the guests.
“As for the remaining bill…”
He looked at me.
“I’ll pay it.”
I shook my head.
“No.”
He frowned.
“I insist.”
“I appreciate that.”
I folded the invoice.
“But this isn’t about the twenty-three thousand dollars.”
“Then what is it about?”
I looked at my son.
“It is about what happens when people confuse love with permission.”
Daniel looked down.
I continued.
“For years, I thought helping my son meant making his life easier.”
I glanced at Margaret.
“My wife thought the same thing.”
I looked around at the guests.
“We were wrong.”
A few people nodded.
“Sometimes helping someone means letting them experience the consequences of their choices.”
