I'm torn. I feel like I want him to know he's still useful, still very badly needed here, but I don't want to put any more pressure on him.

If we go in all 'we'll take care of you,' he'll hate himself. If we go in all 'we need a shoulder to cry on' he'll think he's just made us cry. I tried asking him to help me with gardening in the spring with his time off from the police force, but he just sulked. He's probably going to end up pretty depressed for a while. I get the feeling a lot of John's self-identity was wrapped up in the greater good.

[Violet is a brat, a teenager, a cynical child who doesn't know how to be gracious and bite her tongue... and occasionally, like a werewolf on the full moon, an insightful, caring young woman.]