Chapter 16 - THE GIRL WHO STILL LOVED HER DADBrandon received structured visitation.
One afternoon, Skylar came home quiet.
Charlotte waited.
Eventually, Skylar sat beside her.
"Dad said he's sorry."
"How do you feel?"
"I don't know."
"That's okay."
"He said Grandma put bad ideas in his head."
Charlotte waited.
"I told him grown-ups still choose."
Charlotte's throat tightened.
Then Skylar asked:
"Do you still love Dad?"
Charlotte thought carefully.
"I loved him for a long time."
"That's not what I asked."
Charlotte smiled sadly.
"I don't know what kind of love is left."
"Do you hate him?"
"No."
"Why?"
"Because hatred takes too much space."
Skylar leaned against her.
"What if I still love him?"
"You're allowed."
"Even after what he did?"
"Someone can do something very wrong and you can still have complicated feelings about them."
Skylar thought about it.
"Grandma said choosing you meant betraying Dad."
Charlotte's anger rose.
Then faded.
"Love isn't a team sport."
Skylar smiled.
"That sounds weird."
Charlotte laughed.
"I'm apparently full of weird advice."
For the first time in a long time, the house filled with laughter.
May you like
Real laughter.
Safe laughter.
Related Stories
