Chapter 15 - THE WOMAN I MARRIED
Claire pleaded guilty.
She cooperated with investigators.
She gave them the accounts.
The names.
The locations.
The evidence.
Her sentence was reduced because she had helped expose Victor.
But she still had to pay for what she had done.
The day she went to prison, Lily asked if she could see her.
I took her.
They sat across from each other in the visitation room.
Claire cried before Lily said anything.
“I’m sorry,” Claire whispered.
Lily looked at her.
“Why did you make me afraid of Daddy?”
Claire covered her face.
“Because I was scared.”
“You made me scared too.”
“I know.”
“Daddy didn't hurt me.”
“I know.”
“Daddy saved me.”
Claire looked at me.
Her eyes were full of pain.
“I know.”
Lily stood.
Then she hugged her mother.
It was not forgiveness.
Not yet.
But it was love.
And sometimes love survived even when trust did not.
Outside the prison, I asked Lily if she wanted ice cream.
She nodded.
“Chocolate?”
“Yes.”
“Sprinkles?”
She smiled.
“Lots.”
For the first time in months, we laughed.
The nightmare was not completely over.
There would be therapy.
Court dates.
Hard conversations.
Bad days.
May you like
But we were alive.
And we were finally telling the truth.
