"This is not your fault, Sandy."

"I know, but still. I didn't want to put this kind of pressure on you."

We were standing in the school's visitor's parking lot, next to Sandy's burnt orange Jeep. We were completely alone, with about thirty minutes before kids and staff began pouring out of the building, anxious to begin their weekend. I needed to go back home to meet Will and Charlie before heading out to Paige's away game over at Broughton.

I really would have rather spent the afternoon with Sandy. She was such a private person, and I felt terrible about this kind of forced outing, if that's indeed what...