He nodded, his expression unreadable but not unkind. We stepped out into the crisp morning air. The silence between us was thick, filled with unspoken words and shared history.

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked, struggling to keep my voice even.

He sighed, a sound filled with the weight of years. “I didn’t know how. After all the hurt in the past… I didn’t think I had the right.”

“But you did,” I insisted. “You’re family.”