Chapter 14 - CALEB'S ACCOUNTABILITY
Caleb apologized last.
Not because he cared least.
Because he understood himself slowest.
He met Richard in the dining room months later.
Same table.
No dog bowl.
No Amber.
Caleb said:
“I thought if I didn’t choose sides, I wasn’t hurting anyone.”
Richard answered:
“You chose the person acting.”
Caleb looked down.
“I know.”
“No. You chose her every time you let her act while you stayed passive.”
That hurt.
Caleb nodded.
Then admitted the deeper truth.
“I wanted the company.”
Richard waited.
“I wanted you to step back.”
“Then why didn’t you say that?”
“Because wanting it made me feel like a bad son.”
Richard almost laughed.
“Wanting leadership doesn’t make you a bad son.”
Caleb’s eyes filled.
“Letting your wife call me demented because it made leadership easier was the problem.”
“Yes.”
May you like
Finally.
A clean sentence.
