Chapter 6 — Lily Finally Speaks

For weeks, Lily had barely spoken.
The doctors thought she was traumatized.
But they didn’t know why.
That night, I sat beside her bed.
“Sweetheart, tell Mommy what happened.”
She looked down.
Then whispered:
“Daddy said you weren’t coming back.”
My heart broke.
“He said Vanessa would be my new mommy.”
I held her hand.
“Did he hurt you?”
She became silent.
Then nodded.
“He said I had to listen.”
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I promised her:
“No one will ever make you afraid again.”