I had never considered that he might be willing to use his own family to protect what he had built.
Jake looked at me with tears in his eyes.
“Sarah, I know what happened between us was wrong. I’m not telling you this to excuse it. I know I made choices, too.”
I nodded.
“But I need you to understand something. I didn’t come here because I wanted to hurt your marriage. I came because Uncle Tom told my mother he could help secure my future.”
He paused.
“And now I don’t know whether he was trying to help me or trying to protect himself.”
I felt a wave of sadness unlike anything I had experienced during those four days.
Not because I wanted to defend Tom.
Not because I wanted to protect Jake from the consequences of his choices.
But because the family I had trusted was suddenly full of questions no one seemed willing to answer.
