Chapter 4: The Father Lily Never Truly Knew
Chapter 4: The Father Lily Never Truly Knew
Lily spent weeks recovering.
Broken ribs healed.
The bruises faded.
The nightmares took longer.
One quiet evening, she sat beside me on the porch.
"Dad..."
"Were you really... some kind of government agent?"
I smiled.
"I was."
"For a long time."
"Why didn't you ever tell me?"
"Because I wanted you to grow up with a father."
"Not a legend."
She leaned against my shoulder.
"I thought you were disappointed in me."
I looked at her.
"I was disappointed."
She flinched.
"Not in you."
"In myself."
"I ignored the warning signs."
"I shook Richard's hand."
"I welcomed him into our family."
"I should have protected you sooner."
Tears filled her eyes.
"You came."
"The moment I called..."
"You came."
I wrapped my arm around her.
"I always will."
A father isn't measured by the mistakes he never makes.
He's measured by what he does after realizing he made one.
May you like
That night, for the first time in years...
Lily slept without locking her bedroom door.
