Dylan, Charlie, and Ava all sat quietly, letting their father speak.

“Because they wanted to leave Ryker and get careers?” Mary Howard sat suddenly, almost as if her legs couldn’t hold her up any longer. “What other reason could there be?”

Her husband sighed. “Mary, you were too hard on them, and I let you because I was a coward and never wanted to stand up for them. It was wrong of me, I see that now, but I’m hoping that I can do something now.”

“I was not too hard on them!”

“You were, Mom,” Dylan said. “I left because I could never quite be the boy you wanted me to be. I wanted to build things, but that wasn’t good enough. I ran with Joe Trainer to spite you because you always painted me as this golden child who could do no wrong. I left to breathe, and never came back.”

“That Trainer is a bad one!”

Dylan held his mother’s eyes.

“But that’s not the only reason you hate the Trainers, is it, Mom?”

“Wh-what do you mean?”

“Before Dad, you and Joe’s father had a thing going on, and he didn’t want you, so you turned against the entire family. It has to stop right now, Mom. Starting with Piper, because she’s innocent.”

“Sh-she poisoned me.”

“No she didn’t, but we’ll get round to that. Right now I want to discuss Ava and what she needs. Hairdressing is her dream, so she’s doing it.”

“Yes.” His father sighed. “I’ll make sure of it. I knew about Tim Trainer, and also that your mother did not like his family, but to my shame again, I have done nothing to change that either.”

“I did nothing they did not deserve; how can you say otherwise?”

“Mary, you have done wrong by that family, and that is going to stop, as is the hold you have over our children.”

“I-I wanted the best for them.”

“I know you believe that, Mom, but you pushed too hard. Now I’m going to tell you something, and I need you stay quiet until I’m done.”

Everyone nodded. Dylan explained everything that was happening.

“And you now believe that this poisoning was done by whoever is targeting us to get to you?” his father asked.

“I do. I didn’t at first, because I was shocked and angry—”

“And you care about Piper so it hurt more?” Charlie interrupted him.

“Yes.”

“You care about her?” His mother looked horrified.

“I do, so you need to deal with that fact. But as she’s not going to forgive me for accusing her of trying to poison you, I doubt there’s a future for us.”