Chapter 20
Lila was seven years old when she asked the question.
They were sitting at the dinner table, eating spaghetti, when she put down her fork and looked at Megan, her little brow furrowed.
"Mama?" she said.
"Yeah, baby?"
"Why did Dad Ryan go away when I was a baby? He says he missed my first steps and my first words. Why wasn’t he there?"
The table went silent.
Ethan stopped eating. The general put down his glass of wine. Ryan, who was over for dinner that night, went pale, his fork clattering on his plate.
Megan took a deep breath.
She had known this day would come.
She had practiced what she would say a hundred times.
But now that it was here, she didn’t know where to start.
She looked at Ryan.
He nodded, his eyes full of fear and regret.
It was his story to tell.
Ryan wiped his hands on his napkin, leaning forward, looking Lila in the eye.
"It’s my fault, bug," he said, his voice soft. "When you were still in Mama’s belly, you got very sick. Mama needed to go to the hospital right away. But I was stupid. And selfish. I made a terrible choice. I went to a party for my mom instead of taking Mama to the hospital. I hurt both of you. Very badly. And because of that, I had to go away for a long time, to think about what I did, and to learn how to be a better man. A better dad."
Lila stared at him, her big blue eyes wide.
"Did you get in trouble?" she asked.
"Yeah, bug. I got in a lot of trouble. And I deserved it. I made the worst mistake a dad can make. I will spend the rest of my life saying I’m sorry. To you. To your mama. To everyone I hurt. But I’m trying to make up for it now. I promise. I will never leave you again. Ever."
Lila was quiet for a long time.
She looked at Megan.
"Is that true, Mama?"
Megan nodded, reaching across the table to hold her hand.
"It’s true, baby. Dad Ryan made a very bad mistake. But he’s worked very hard to be better. And he loves you more than anything. Everyone makes mistakes, Lila. Even grown-ups. The important thing is that you say you’re sorry, and you try to do better next time. And Dad Ryan has done that."
Lila thought about it for another minute.
Then she climbed out of her chair, walked over to Ryan, and climbed into his lap, wrapping her little arms around his neck.
"It’s okay, Dad Ryan," she said, kissing his cheek. "I forgive you. Everyone deserves a second chance. Mrs. Lopez says so at school."
Ryan broke down crying, holding her tight, as Megan and Ethan and the general wiped tears from their own eyes.
"Thank you, bug," he whispered. "Thank you so much."
That night, after Lila was asleep, Ryan sat on the porch with Megan and Ethan, drinking beer, looking out at the fields.
"Thank you," Ryan said to Megan. "For not lying to her. For letting me tell her the truth. For giving me a second chance. I don’t know what I did to deserve you. Any of you."
Megan smiled, clinking her beer bottle against his.
"We’re family now, Ryan. For better or worse. No more secrets. No more lies. We’re in this together. Always."
Ryan smiled, looking up at the stars.
For the first time in his life, he felt at peace.
He had made terrible mistakes.
He had hurt people he loved.
But he had spent years making amends.
And he had been forgiven.
By the woman he had hurt most.
By the daughter he had almost lost.
He had a family now.
May you like
A real one.
And he would never, ever take it for granted again.
