CHAPTER 20: 20. The Offer
That spring, Grant offered to contribute to the twins’ college expenses. He proposed a large amount, one that would have changed my life when they were small. I asked Priya to review the offer and make sure it carried no conditions concerning contact or publicity. The boys listened while I explained that accepting legitimate support would not mean forgiving him or owing him a relationship. Miles said he wanted to evaluate the practical benefit. Jonah said he hated the idea of money arriving now that their achievements were visible. We took a week to think. In the end, we accepted a properly documented contribution placed into education accounts under terms that protected the boys’ choices. I told Grant plainly that it did not erase his past obligations or create a claim on their time. He agreed. I could not know whether his motives were guilt, pride, or something better. I no longer needed to. The money was a resource, not a story about redemption. Our family had survived without it. We would make thoughtful use of it now, without allowing it to define us.
