have spoken sooner too.”
I looked at him.
“Dad.”
He gave me the expression that meant I should let him finish.
“I spent my life teaching you boys to speak plainly. Then when I got older, I became afraid plain words would drive one of you away.”
Derek looked wounded.
“You thought I’d leave?”
“I thought you were ashamed.”
“I was.”
“That’s different from leaving.”
Derek stared at the floor.
Dad continued.
“I kept giving you time to fix things without realizing that time was making the problem larger.”
I
