James stiffened but still tried his best to keep his smile in place. “I haven’t seen your father’s friends in a long while, especially after your parents died. They all had their reasons for leaving.” He took a deep breath; Darius could tell he was upset. James continued, “At the time, I couldn’t accept your father’s death and would’ve appreciated having them around—at least it’d make me feel like he was still alive. I know they weren’t obligated to do anything, but they didn’t even bother atte