Chapter 26 - THE SECOND BIRTHDAY PARTY
Lily turned eleven.
Four years after the chain.
She wanted a backyard party.
I almost suggested bowling.
Then caught myself.
Her choice.
Backyard.
Daniel helped set tables.
We had become good co-parents.
Not remarried.
Not dating.
People expected a romantic reunion.
There wasn’t one.
We had loved each other once.
Then injured each other.
Then learned to raise a child together.
That was enough.
Margaret was not invited.
Mark, Jessica, Tyler, and Anna were.
Lily chose.
During the party, Daniel stood beside the same kind of cheap paper decorations we used when she was little.
He said:
“I missed so much.”
“Yes.”
“I’ll never fix that.”
“No.”
He looked at me.
“Thank you for not pretending I can.”
Growth.
Then Lily shouted:
“Dad!”
He turned immediately.
She needed help opening a jar of lemonade concentrate.
Nothing dramatic.
He went.
May you like
That was family now.
Responding to ordinary calls.
