Chapter 5
Spring brought warm breezes,
and a sudden,
terrifying scare.
My father had collapsed during a board meeting,
and was rushed to the cardiac wing of his own hospital.
I left my office immediately,
driving frantically across the city,
my hands gripping the steering wheel in sheer panic.
When I arrived,
the doctors assured me he was stable,
having suffered a mild arterial blockage.
I sat by his hospital bed,
holding his weathered hand,
listening to the steady beep of his heart monitor.
He opened his eyes,
offering a weak,
tired smile.
"I am too stubborn to die, Claire,"
he whispered.
"Do not joke about this,"
I scolded him,
tears blurring my vision.
"You have to be careful."
"I am fine,"
he insisted,
squeezing my fingers.
"But it made me realize,
I have not spent enough time with my granddaughter."
Right on cue,
the door opened,
and Mara walked in holding Lily’s hand.
Lily was five years old now,
a whirlwind of energy and curiosity.
She climbed onto the edge of the bed,
kissing my father’s cheek.
"Are you sick, Grandpa,"
she asked,
her big brown eyes filled with concern.
"Just a little tired, sweetheart,"
he chuckled,
stroking her dark curls.
Mara pulled me aside,
handing me a cup of tea.
"He will need rest,"
she advised.
"I will take over his corporate duties for the month."
"Thank you,"
I said,
feeling incredibly grateful for the family I had chosen.
Later that evening,
after my father fell asleep,
I took Lily down to the hospital cafeteria for dinner.
She was eating a slice of pizza,
swinging her legs under the table,
when she suddenly stopped.
"Mommy,"
she said thoughtfully.
"Yes, baby,"
I replied,
wiping tomato sauce from her chin.
"Emma at school has a daddy,"
she stated.
"Where is my daddy."
The question hit me like a physical blow,
even though I knew it was coming eventually.
I put my napkin down,
taking a deep,
steadying breath.
"You have a father, Lily,"
I began carefully.
"But he made some very bad choices,
and he hurt people."
She tilted her head,
processing the information.
"Is he in a time-out,"
she asked innocently.
"Yes,"
I nodded,
fighting back tears.
"He is in a very long time-out,
because he forgot how to be kind."
"Did he hurt you, Mommy,"
she asked,
her brow furrowing.
"A long time ago,"
I answered truthfully.
"But Grandpa helped me,
and we made sure he can never hurt us again."
Lily reached across the table,
patting my hand with her small,
warm palm.
"It is okay, Mommy,"
she smiled.
"We do not need him.
We have Grandpa,
and Auntie Mara,
and we have each other."
I pulled her into my arms,
hugging her tightly against my chest.
She was so young,
yet so incredibly wise.
Adrian had given me the greatest gift in the world,
and he had lost the right to know her.
I kissed the top of her head,
knowing that the cycle of trauma was officially broken.
May you like
My daughter would grow up knowing only love,
and that was my ultimate revenge.
