Chapter 77

When he went quiet, Francis eventually murmured, “We put a lot of trust in our parents, as we should—mothers especially. Some people aren’t fit to be parents, even when they want children. The beauty of being an adult in a committed relationship is that you get to make your own decisions and you have backup. You haven’t been their child for a long time, Mark. You’ve been a verbal punching bag they think they have ownership over. But they don’t. You’re not theirs.”

Mark nodded. “I’m mine.” Then he thought for a few beats and added, “And I’m yours. As much as I can be anyone else’s, other than my own.”

Francis made a curious little sound, and when Mark moved to look at his face, he could see tears in his eyes.