Three weeks passed without a single message from Daniel. I missed him terribly, but I knew calling him and apologizing for setting reasonable boundaries would only repeat the same mistake. Then, one Saturday morning, he appeared at my door. He looked exhausted and unusually quiet. He explained that his father had refused to help with the car payments and that the dealership had rejected his application.
For the first time, Daniel admitted he had been irresponsible. He apologized for threatening to leave and confessed that he had mistaken my financial support for something he was automatically entitled to receive. I invited him inside, but told him we needed an honest conversation.
