Stephen sighed as though we were both overreacting.
“Barbra has felt excluded for years. I suggested Dustin make a meaningful gesture.”
“For college tuition,” I added.
The room became silent.
Barbra slowly set down the towel in her hands.
“What is she talking about?”
Stephen’s jaw tightened.
“I said I would help with school.”
“No,” I said. “Dustin believed you promised to cover the tuition.”
Stephen shrugged.
“He misunderstood.”
“He permanently changed his body because he misunderstood you?”
“I never forced him.”
“You didn’t need to. You offered something he desperately wanted and made him believe one depended on the other.”
Stephen called it motivation.
I called it manipulation.
“He’s eighteen,” he argued. “He’s old enough to make decisions.”
“He is also young enough to trust his father.”
For the first time, Stephen looked away.
Barbra asked whether Dustin truly believed his entire education would be paid.
Stephen avoided answering.
“I never asked for a tattoo,” she whispered. “I only told you I wanted to feel like part of the family.”
“I was trying to fix the problem,” Stephen replied.
“You used Dustin.”
“I included him.”
“You bargained with him,” she said.
