Anger can feel like the only honest response when someone you love has been hurt. For one father, the drive to confront Dustin was filled with fear, heartbreak, and the kind of protective instinct that makes every mile feel longer than the last.
By the time he arrived, he had already played the moment over in his head again and again. He expected shouting. He expected a fight. He expected himself to say things he might never be able to take back.
But when he finally stood in front of Dustin, something changed.
The room around them had been noisy before he walked in. People were talking, laughing, and acting as if nothing serious was about to happen. Dustin seemed comfortable in that atmosphere, confident enough to believe the moment would pass like any other argument.