PART 13
Sophie apologized again for following him.
Mom looked at her.
Then said.
“You scared ten years off my life.”
Sophie laughed through tears.
“Sorry.”
“But.”
Mom continued.
“You also did something I was too afraid to do.”
“What?”
“Look.”
That word mattered.
Mom had spent months not looking.
Not at direction.
Not at changing excuses.
Not at the fact she had never seen his home.
Not at the rigid 7:30 departures.
Sophie looked.
And truth appeared.
PART 14
The next morning, Daniel sent a long message.
Mom did not answer.
He wrote.
I never wanted to deceive you.
That annoyed me.
Because he absolutely had.
Intent does not erase action.
Then he wrote.
I thought the situation was too complicated to explain.
Another excuse.
Mom read it once.
Then deleted it.
I asked.
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“What if you want it later?”
She stared.
“Why?”
Fair.
PART 15
Three days passed.
Then Willow Creek called.
Not Daniel.
A woman named Maria.
She introduced herself as the social services coordinator.
She asked for Margaret.
Mom looked at me.
Then took the phone.
“Yes?”
Maria said.
“Daniel gave us permission to contact you.”
Mom’s face tightened.
She almost hung up.
Then Maria continued.
“He said you recently learned about Evelyn.”
Mom said.
“Yes.”
“I wanted to clarify something.”
“What?”
“Evelyn has asked about you.”
Mom froze.
“What?”
Maria explained.
During one of Daniel’s visits, Evelyn had found a photograph of Mom.
Daniel had accidentally left it inside the briefcase months earlier.
A picture of him and Mom at the gardening club.
Evelyn had looked at it.
Then asked.
“Who is the red lady?”
Mom was wearing the red dress.
Daniel told her.
“A friend.”
Evelyn apparently smiled.
Then said.
“She’s pretty.”
Mom sat down slowly.
PART 16
Maria continued.
“I don’t want to intrude.”
“But Daniel is struggling.”
“Evelyn has been having more difficult evenings.”
Mom looked angry.
“That is not my responsibility.”
Maria answered.
“You’re right.”
Good.
Then she added.
“I only called because he asked me to tell you he never spoke badly about you to her.”
Mom laughed.
“That’s supposed to help?”
Maria paused.
“No.”
“Probably not.”
Honest woman.
Mom softened slightly.
Then asked.
“How is Evelyn?”
That surprised me.
Maria said.
“Stable.”
“Confused more often.”
“But physically comfortable.”
Mom nodded.
Then ended the call.
