Chapter 6 - Daniel Asked Why Nobody Came After Him
Daniel came out after an hour.
He didn't look at Miles.
He walked toward me.
“Drive.”
“You drove here.”
“Please.”
I took him home.
Halfway there, he said:
“She let me leave.”
I kept my eyes on the road.
“I heard.”
“She could have called.”
“Yes.”
“She could have come to the house.”
“Yes.”
“She could’ve found me at school.”
“Yes.”
“Why are you agreeing?”
“Because she could have.”
Daniel looked out the window.
“Dad told me Miles wouldn't leave her alone.”
I waited.
“He said Mom chose Miles.”
“Did you believe him?”
“Yes.”
“Do you still?”
Silence.
Then:
“I don’t know.”
That was the first useful answer he had given about his family in years.
The next afternoon he called Helen himself.
No Claire.
No Lily.
He asked:
“Why didn't you come after me?”
Helen did not answer immediately.
Then:
“I tried twice.”
“What does tried mean?”
“I went to your father’s house.”
“When?”
“Three weeks after I left the hospital.”
Daniel stopped.
“Dad never told me.”
“He answered the door.”
“What happened?”
“He told me you weren’t there.”
“Was I?”
“I don’t know.”
“Then?”
“He asked whether Miles was in the car.”
“He was?”
“Yes.”
Daniel laughed bitterly.
“Of course.”
Helen’s voice tightened.
“He drove me.”
“You couldn't come without him.”
“I could barely climb stairs.”
Daniel sat at our kitchen table with the phone on speaker.
I was across the room.
He had asked me to stay.
Not speak.
I honored both.
“What did Dad say?”
Helen hesitated.
“That if I wanted to see you, I needed to come without Miles.”
“And?”
“I said I wouldn't make Miles disappear to earn access to you.”
Daniel shut his eyes.
“You chose him.”
Helen inhaled.
This time she didn't fight the sentence immediately.
“I chose not to make one son disappear for the other.”
Daniel stared at the table.
“Same result for me.”
“Yes.”
That surprised him.
Helen continued.
“I thought if I accepted Thomas’s condition, I would be agreeing that Miles had done something unforgivable.”
“And what about me?”
“I thought you would call once you calmed down.”
“I didn't.”
“No.”
“What did you do?”
“I waited.”
“How long?”
“Too long.”
Not a number.
Daniel wanted one.
“How long?”
“Six months.”
He laughed.
Then she added:
“Then I wrote.”
“Where?”
“Your apartment.”
“I never got anything.”
“I sent three letters.”
Daniel looked at me.
I knew nothing.
“What did they say?”
“That I missed you. That you could see me without seeing Miles. That I would meet anywhere.”
“Returned?”
“One.”
“The others?”
“No.”
“Then I ignored them.”
“Maybe.”
He hated maybe.
“So you stopped.”
“No.”
“I sent birthday cards for four years.”
Daniel stared.
“I never saw one.”
Helen became quiet.
“Thomas knew the address.”
Daniel’s face changed.
His father had been dead six years.
Easy target now.
Too easy.
“Did Dad throw them away?”
“I don't know.”
“Did you ask?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because every conversation with your father became the stairs.”
Daniel stood.
“You keep saying everyone was afraid to make things worse.”
Helen didn't answer.
He continued.
“It was already worse.”
“Yes.”
“Then why did everyone keep waiting?”
The question left the room and came back without an owner.
I thought about my seven months of waiting to tell Daniel about Lily.
Said nothing.
Helen finally answered:
“Because waiting felt less cruel than hearing no.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
That was not a good reason.
It was recognizable.
He ended the call.
Then he looked at me.
“Did you know about the letters?”
“No.”
“Would you tell me if you did?”
I stared at him.
Fair question now.
“Yes.”
He nodded.
He wanted to believe me.
I wasn't sure he did.
Then my phone rang.
Hannah.
I answered.
Lily’s voice came through before I could say hello.
“Mom?”
“Hey.”
“Can I come home?”
I looked at Daniel.
“Of course.”
Then she asked:
“Do I still have to pretend I don’t know Grandma?”
May you like
Daniel heard.
His face crumpled before he could stop it.
Related Stories
