Chapter 21 - Deciding to Move Forward
That evening, I took it to Sarah’s apartment.
She read the article twice.
“He looks like you.”
“I look like him.”
“Same difference.”
“No.”
She handed the clipping back.
“Are you going to contact him?”
“I don’t know.”
Lily was in her room reading, so we sat alone in the living room.
Sarah had moved the sewing machine closer to the window.
New curtains hung over the repaired frame.
The apartment had begun to feel different.
Not transformed.
Just steadier.
“I spent my whole life being angry at a man I thought abandoned us,” I said.
“He did leave.”
“Yes.”
“That part didn’t change.”
“No.”
“But other parts did.”
I looked at the article.
“What if meeting him makes it worse?”
“It might.”
“That’s not comforting.”
“I’m not trying to comfort you.”
“Clearly.”
She smiled faintly.
Then became serious.
“You don’t have to forgive him just because he had reasons.”
“I know.”
“And you don’t have to stay angry just because you had reasons.”
I looked at her.
She folded her hands in her lap.
May you like
“Those are different choices.”
That stayed with me.
