Sunlight filled the room.
No one was shouting.
No one was demanding money.
No one was making Emily afraid.
I wrapped my arms around them both and rested my hand against my son’s back.
For years, I had believed that providing for everyone made me a good man.
But the night I found Emily crying over a sink full of my family’s dirty dishes taught me something far more important.
Love was not measured by how much abuse you could endure without leaving.
Love was measured by what you were willing to end so the people who trusted you could finally live without fear.
