He made that clear. When I heard about the accident… I went to the funeral, but I kept to the shadows. I didn’t feel like I had the right to face anyone.
And then… well, when I saw Lila here, I couldn’t stay away. She reminded me so much of him.”
I swallowed hard, glancing at Lila, who was watching me with wide, worried eyes. “Mom,” she whispered, “I just wanted to know more about Daddy.
Henry tells me all these stories. It’s like I can picture him again.”
My heart broke at her words. I knelt down in front of her, taking her hands in mine.
“Oh, sweetheart, I didn’t know you felt like this. You could’ve talked to me.”
“I didn’t want to make you sad,” she said, her voice trembling. “I know it hurts you when we talk about him.”
Tears welled up in my eyes, and I pulled her into a hug.
“It’s okay, Lila. We can talk about him whenever you want. I want to keep his memory alive for you, too.”
Henry stood up slowly, leaning on his cane.
“If you want me to leave, I will,” he said quietly. “I didn’t mean to cause any trouble.”
I looked up at him; this frail, remorseful man who had lost his chance with his son and now clung to the only connection he had left. My anger had melted away, replaced by a strange sense of understanding.
“No,” I said softly, standing up.
“You don’t have to go. Lila needs family, and maybe, you do too. Let’s start over.
But we’ll do this together.”
Henry’s eyes filled with tears, and he nodded, his voice a hoarse whisper. “Thank you.”
As we walked home that evening, Lila’s small hand held tightly to mine, and her other hand reached out to Henry’s. It wasn’t the reunion I’d imagined, but it was something.
A second chance, for all of us.
And in that moment, I realized that family wasn’t just about the past. It was about the future we could still build, together.
