Chapter 9 - The Letter Vanessa Sent to Lily
Vanessa wrote to Lily when Lily was thirteen.
The letter came through an attorney.
Daniel nearly destroyed it.
Instead, he called Dr. Chen.
“What do I do?”
“Whose letter is it?”
“Lily’s.”
That answered the question.
Daniel told her.
“You received something.”
“From who?”
“Vanessa.”
Lily froze.
Silence.
“Do I have to read it?”
“No.”
“Can you?”
“Only if you ask.”
“Can Dr. Chen?”
“Yes.”
Lily chose that.
The letter contained no threats.
No excuses exactly.
Vanessa wrote that she had been selfish.
That she used Lily’s grief.
That she was sorry.
One sentence mattered:
You did nothing to cause what I did to you.
Dr. Chen summarized without forcing details.
Lily eventually asked for the letter.
She read it alone.
Then brought it to Daniel.
“I don’t forgive her.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Is that bad?”
“No.”
“She says she changed.”
“Maybe she did.”
Lily looked surprised.
“You believe her?”
“I believe people can change.”
He paused.
“That does not mean the people they hurt owe them access.”
Lily thought.
“I want to keep the letter.”
“Okay.”
“Not answer.”
“Okay.”
She smiled faintly.
“You’re good at okay now.”
Daniel laughed.
“I’ve practiced.”
They put the letter in a box.
Not displayed.
Not destroyed.
Just stored.
The past existed.
May you like
It did not need to run the house.
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