“You can’t say that. I’m your blood. Don’t I deserve a chance?”
“You need to give the boy space.”
“You need to stop interfering in my life! God, you don’t get to judge me, Daniel.”
Daniel sighed.
“I do,” he said softly. “Man to man, what you did to Claire was wrong. It was abuse, and I should have judged you to your face nineteen years ago.”
“You wouldn’t dare…”
Mark went silent.
“Instead, I spent almost twenty years pretending that keeping my distance from you was the same as standing against you.” He shook his head. “It wasn’t.”
Daniel walked to the front door and opened it.
“But I’m telling you now. Our friendship is over.”
Mark’s jaw dropped.
“But I’m telling you now. Our friendship is over.”
“Daniel.”
“You’re not welcome in my home anymore.”
Mark looked toward Evan.
“What about him? That’s my kid. You kept us apart once, and now you’re doing it again.”
Daniel looked at Evan.
Evan stepped closer. He looked Mark in the eye and shook his head. “I have a dad — my stepfather. I don’t think I want a relationship with you, not after what you did to my mom.”
“You’re not welcome in my home anymore.”
Mark looked like he wanted to argue.
“You heard the boy,” Daniel said. “Don’t make this harder than it needs to be, Mark.”
Mark walked out without another word.
Daniel closed the door and leaned against it.
Finally, Evan wiped his face.
