“I’ve been working seventy hours a week to make the interest payments,” David said.

“I was trying to buy enough time to settle with the bank.”

“That’s why you were always so angry,” Rachel said, walking over to put her hand on her brother’s shoulder.

“That’s why you didn’t want Mom spending money on anything,” she said.

“I thought we were going to lose everything,” David whispered.

He put his face in his hands.

I reached across the table and placed my hands over his.

His skin was warm, his knuckles rough from his work at the yard.

“Oh, David,” I said.

“You should have told me.”

“We are a family.”

“I was trying to protect you, Mom,” he said through his fingers.

“I know,” I said. “I know you were.”

“But you don’t have to carry it anymore.”

“The debt is gone,” I said.

“It’s paid.”

David let out a long, ragged breath that sounded like a sob.

He didn’t pull his hands away from mine.

Rachel leaned down and rested her forehead against his shoulder.

Harold stood by the door, his expression soft and respectful.