He started to walk away again, then turning back to me, sighed, "Mrs. Wilson, do you know why I came to live with my Aunt and Uncle?"

"I never asked." I hadn't, but Chad's aunt Shirley had told me there was trouble at her sister's house.

"Because my piece of shit father has been treating my mother the way Mr. Wilson just treated you for my entire life."

"Look Chad, Greg's not a bad guy. He's..."

"None of them are." Chad waved his hand at me. "And my mother's defending his sorry ass is why I finally left. Between his shit, and her thinking she has to take it, I...