“I loved him.”
My voice broke.
I hadn’t even realized I was crying.
“I loved your father.”
Iris stared at me.
“Then why?”
The question came immediately.
No hesitation.
“Why did you hide me from him?”
I had no answer that sounded good.
Because there wasn’t one.
“I was scared.”
Her face changed.
Not anger.
Disappointment.
“You were scared?”
I nodded.
“I thought I was protecting you.”
She wiped her cheek.
“You don’t get to decide that alone.”
That sentence hurt because it was exactly what I needed to hear.
“I know.”
“No, Mom.”
Her voice became stronger.
“You don’t know.”
She pointed toward Ryan.
“You made choices for him too.”
Ryan looked down.
And I realized something.
He wasn’t just angry because he lost a father.
He was angry because he lost a sister.
Years.
He could have known her for years.
Birthday parties.
Christmas mornings.
Graduations.
All stolen.
Not because of fate.
Because of me.
