Chapter 63

• He closed his eyes and leaned back in his chair. "She killed herself. I really don't want to talk about it. It's too painful. Let's just say that she wrote a disturbing story for the school paper when she was in high school. And instead of calling me or my wife, the teacher told her off for writing something so... inappropriate." His eyes opened, and he looked so infinitely sad that it hurt her. "He came to the funeral, and he was so heartbroken, so sorry, so torn up that he hadn't recognized her cry for help. He could have been the change she needed, but he only made her feel worse."
• "That's... I'm so sorry."
• Jefferson grunted and rubbed his eyes. "Yeah, me too." He pulled himself back together and smiled sadly at her. "Education is more than just grammar and fractions, Nathalie. No matter what grade a kid is in, they need us to be there for them, to try and see the signs. To raise them when their parents are fucking it up like the Thomases are doing. And no, we can't fix everything, and we, too, will miss things and fuck up. But we can never stop trying. Never."