Chapter 6 - ELIZA HEARD US
I thought the door was closed.
It wasn’t fully.
Eliza heard part of the argument.
That evening she asked me:
“Dad knew the nurse called?”
I did not want to answer.
That meant I had to.
“Yes.”
Her face changed.
“He told her I saw a doctor?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“He thought he understood what was happening.”
“That’s stupid.”
I almost smiled.
“Yes.”
Then she looked toward the window.
“What if you listened to him again?”
There it was.
The question I had been avoiding.
I sat beside her.
“I did listen to him too long.”
Her eyes filled.
“You thought I was exaggerating too.”
I wanted to defend myself.
Tell her I had worried.
Tell her I had noticed.
Tell her I had been the one who finally drove her here.
All true.
None erased what she said.
“Yes.”
The word hurt.
“I’m sorry.”
She nodded.
Not forgiveness.
Acknowledgment.
Then:
“Next time, believe me first.”
I took her hand.
May you like
“I will.”
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