and then choose to lose the other.”
There wasn’t a gentle answer, so I didn’t invent one.
“You may never understand it.”
Her eyes filled.
“You stayed.”
“Of course I did.”
“No, Mom. You stayed for all of it. The birthdays. The frightened nights. You stayed until I believed I was okay.”
My throat tightened.
“You’re everything to me.”
I took her hand.
“And you don’t owe your father forgiveness because you feel sorry for him.”
She nodded.
“If you want him in your life, we’ll take it slowly. If you don’t, that’s your choice too.”
“What if he disappears again?”
“Then he’ll answer to me before he gets another chance to hurt you.”
Later, when Lily asked, “What happens now?” I didn’t answer for everyone.
“I don’t know.”
For once, that didn’t scare me.
“But nobody gets to decide for anybody else anymore.”
I looked at Lily.
“You decide
