Chapter 14 - THE LETTER
Six months after the necklace incident, Emily read Lily’s first letter.
Not because anyone asked.
Because she wanted to.
Lily wrote:
I was jealous of you before Mom died and worse after. Dad looked at you like you knew what to do. I didn’t. When he believed me, it felt like I finally had something you didn’t.
Then:
I kept making you look bad because I was scared if he knew I was bad too, he’d only have you.
Emily cried.
Then got angry for crying.
Then laughed at herself.
She did not forgive Lily instantly.
She wrote back:
You made me think I was crazy.
Lily answered:
I know.
Emily:
You made Dad afraid of me.
Lily:
I know.
Emily:
I don’t trust you yet.
Lily:
I know.
That was the first honest conversation they had had in years.
Before that final mall trip, Daniel asked both girls whether returning to a jewelry store was a good idea.
Not:
We’re going.
Not:
You need to get over this.
He asked.
Emily said yes first.
Lily took longer.
“What if they know?”
“Know what?”
“About Bellamy.”
Daniel answered:
“They probably don’t.”
“And if they do?”
“Then we deal with what is true.”
Lily looked at Emily.
Emily shrugged.
“That’s kind of the whole point.”
Daniel almost smiled.
May you like
No inspirational speech.
Just a family learning that shame loses power when nobody is trying to hide reality from everyone else.
