while Diane and I washed dishes, she said quietly, “I hope she makes him happy.”

Not *I like her.*

Not *She seems kind.*

Just that.

I should have listened.

But fathers can ignore warnings when those warnings are about their children.

Hope can make common sense look cruel

PART 2

The changes in Darnell came slowly.

He visited less.

He called less.

When he did continue reading …