Chapter 12 - Adrienne Had to Apologize Without Asking Owen to Protect Her Feelings
Adrienne’s first attempt went badly.
She cried too much.
Explained too much.
Said:
“Mommy made a mistake.”
Owen immediately tried comforting her.
That was exactly what the family therapist stopped.
“No,” she said gently. “Owen does not need to take care of your feelings during your apology.”
Adrienne went silent.
Then tried again.
She knelt in front of him.
“I asked you to keep something from Dad that a child should never have been asked to keep.”
Owen stared at the floor.
“That was wrong.”
He looked up.
“Why did you?”
Adrienne answered honestly enough.
“Because I was afraid of what would happen if Dad knew what I had done.”
“Did you love Uncle Wade?”
That question hurt everyone.
Adrienne said:
“I cared about him in a way I should not have while I was married to your dad.”
Owen thought for a moment.
“Do I have to forgive you?”
“No.”
That was the first thing she said that made him visibly relax.
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Reconciliation could not be another assignment adults gave him.
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