The Question Daniel Feared
Chapter 17 - The Question Daniel Feared
When Lily turned twelve, she asked Daniel the question he always knew would come.
“If Mom had called you before she died, would you have forgiven her?”
Daniel did not answer immediately.
They were sitting on the back porch after sunset.
Lily waited.
“Yes.”
“How do you know?”
“Because I was angry at her for about six minutes after reading the letter.”
Lily looked surprised.
“Only six?”
“Maybe seven.”
She smiled.
Daniel continued.
“Then I understood how scared she had been. And how much time she’d already lost.”
Lily looked down.
“Grandpa says she blamed herself.”
“She shouldn’t have.”
“But she lied too.”
Daniel nodded.
“She did.”
Lily looked at him carefully.
“Then how can you still love her?”
Daniel leaned back.
“Love doesn’t mean pretending someone never failed you.”
He looked toward the guest cottage where Thomas’s light glowed.
“Sometimes love means telling the truth about what happened and deciding the mistake doesn’t get the final word.”
Lily became quiet.
Then she touched the ring around her neck.
“I think Mom would like that answer.”
Daniel smiled.
“I hope so.”
A few minutes later Rebecca joined them.
Lily stood.
“I’m going inside.”
Daniel narrowed his eyes.
“Why are you smiling like that?”
“No reason.”
She disappeared through the door.
Rebecca sat down.
Daniel reached into his pocket.
Inside was a small ring box.
Not Emily’s ring.
May you like
A new one.
And from the window, Lily and Thomas were secretly watching.
