Chapter 16 - Lily Meets Cindy
Lily was six when she asked again.
“Can I meet Grandma Cindy?”
Cindy had completed custody? Not custody, sentence and supervision.
No legal prohibition now except contact with Sally remained maybe expired.
Garrett hesitated.
He asked child therapist.
Then Sally.
Sally said:
“Not alone.”
Agreed.
Supervised meeting at family center.
Cindy entered carrying a giant bag of gifts.
Supervisor stopped.
“One small gift.”
Cindy looked offended.
Rules.
She chose a book.
Lily sat across.
“You’re my dad’s mom?”
“Yes.”
“Did you hide me?”
Cindy’s face collapsed.
Children go directly.
“I hid letters about you.”
“Why?”
Cindy looked at Garrett.
He did not help.
“Because I was angry at your mother.”
“That’s dumb.”
“Yes.”
“Did you steal her money?”
Cindy swallowed.
“Yes.”
“How much?”
Supervisor intervened gently.
“Lily, adults can talk about details later.”
Lily frowned.
Then:
“Did you not want me?”
Cindy’s eyes filled.
“I didn’t know you.”
“You knew I was a baby.”
“Yes.”
“Then why didn’t you tell Dad?”
Cindy whispered:
“I was selfish.”
There.
Not protecting.
Not misunderstanding.
Selfish.
Lily looked at book.
Then:
“Okay.”
Meeting lasted forty minutes.
Afterward Garrett asked:
“Do you want to see her again?”
“Maybe.”
Sally asked:
“How do you feel?”
“Hungry.”
Children.
Then over years, Lily saw Cindy occasionally.
Never unsupervised initially.
No financial gifts.
No manipulation.
Cindy learned to ask.
Can I attend recital?
Can I send birthday card?
No surprise arrivals.
Some requests denied.
She accepted.
That was the only path.
Then Cindy apologized to Sally directly?
Sally refused meeting for years.
Eventually accepted a letter.
Cindy wrote:
I believed Garrett’s dependence on me proved I was a good mother. You made him less dependent, and I experienced that as loss.
That was insightful.
Then:
I punished you for making my son more adult because I wanted to remain necessary.
There.
Then:
I took your money because I believed I could use it better.
And:
I hid Lily because I knew if Garrett became a father, you would always matter to him.
Ugly.
Honest.
Sally kept letter.
May you like
Did not respond.
Forgiveness did not need correspondence.
