Chapter 66
Emily’s POV
I stared at the note in front of me, the paper trembling slightly in my hands. I had been home for over an hour now, pacing back and forth, unsure whether or not to open it.
Part of me wanted to leave it unopened, to shove it into a drawer and forget it existed. But in the end, my curiosity won, and I unfolded the note carefully, my heart heavy with anticipation.
My father’s handwriting was shaky, the ink smudged in places, but the words were clear enough to read.
“Emily,
I don’t know if I’ll make it through this surgery. The truth is, I have so many regrets, especially when it comes to you. Your mother and I… we were wrong. I see that now. When Mary brought you to us, you were the sweetest little girl. You played with Lily and Tyler like you were one of our own, and for a time, I let myself believe you were. But I failed you, Emily. We both did.
I won’t ask for your forgiveness because I don’t deserve it. I know I’ll be punished for my mistakes, in this life or the next. But if I can ask you one thing, it’s this: stay with Nicole. She needs you more than you know. She may not say it, but she loves you. In her own way, she always has. And I…
Chapter 66
I will love you forever, even if it’s too late for you to feel that love now. I‘ m sorry for everything.
-Dad”
The words blurred in front of me as I blinked back the tears that
threatened to fall. He knew. He knew he was wrong. He knew he’d hurt me, ignored me, and let me feel like an outsider in my own home. And now, all he could offer was an apology in a letter.
I felt a knot of anger forming in my chest. It’s too late, Dad. I thought bitterly. Too late for apologies, too late for love. Where were you when I needed you?
I crumpled the note in my fist, fighting back the tears. But despite my anger, his words lingered, tugging at me in a way I didn’t want to acknowledge.
I put the letter down, my heart heavy. I refused to cry, not again. I had, shed too many tears for them already.
Before I knew it, I had drifted off to sleep, the weight of the letter still pressing on my mind. When I woke up, panic set in–I had overslept. Zane. I hadn’t picked him up, and now I was late.
Scrambling out of bed, I rushed downstairs, only to find Zane already sitting at the kitchen table, finishing his breakfast. I blinked in surprise.
“Morning, Mom!” Zane said cheerfully, his mouth half–full with toast.
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Chapter 66
I looked around, confused. That’s when I noticed Keith, standing by the stove, flipping pancakes–still wearing his suit. The sight of him cooking, in his pressed black suit, was so unexpected that I almost laughed.
“Keith?” I asked, stepping into the kitchen. “What… what are you doing?”
He turned to face me, a small smile playing on his lips. “Making breakfast,” he said casually, as if it was the most normal thing in the world.
“I can see that,” I said, glancing at the table full of food. “But aren’t you supposed to be at a meeting? You’re late.”
He shrugged, unfazed. “It can wait. Zane needed breakfast.”
I stood there for a moment, unsure of what to say. The Keith I knew would never be late for a meeting, certainly not to make breakfast. This new version of him was unsettling. It made me wonder if he was doing all of this for show, to impress Zane. Or maybe even to impress me.
But why?
“Do you have a doctor’s appointment this week?” Keith asked, interrupting my thoughts as he handed Zane another pancake.
“Next Friday,” I replied, my voice guarded. I didn’t know what to make of his sudden interest. “Why?”
Chapter 66
“I just want to make sure you’re taking care of yourself,” he said, his tone. calm but sincere.
I narrowed my eyes. “Keith, why are you doing this? Acting like you care so much?”
He looked at me for a long moment before answering. “Because I do care, Emily. I always have.”
I bit back a scoff. The old Keith had never shown any signs of caring–not about me, anyway. And now, here he was, flipping pancakes and asking about my doctor’s appointments, as if we were some normal, happy family. It didn’t make sense.
Keith didn’t push further. After setting down the last of the breakfast plates, he turned to Zane with a grin. “So, buddy, what’s the plan for today? Anything exciting going on at school?” he asked, his voice unusually bright.
I glanced up from my plate, catching the way Zane’s face lit up as he eagerly responded. “Yeah! We’re starting this new art project, and we get to paint our favorite animals. I’m going to do a wolf! Mrs, Parker said we can make it as big as we want.”
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