Chapter 18 - June’s Letter
June was sixteen when she asked Travis:
“Did you ever love Mom?”
I did not see letter until she showed me.
His reply:
“Yes.
Then:
But I treated love like a contract she could break by disagreeing.
Then:
I thought if she loved me she would protect me from shame.
June:
“Is that real apology?”
I said:
“Part.”
Then:
“He says he loved us too.”
“He may have.”
“How can?”
“People can love and still harm.”
She hated answer.
“Then love sucks.”
“Sometimes.”
Then Molly refused any contact with Travis.
No one called her bitter.
Good.
Then Marlene died at seventy-six after stroke.
She had lived five years after release with no violation.
Molly attended? No.
June asked.
I went with June because she wanted.
Molly stayed home.
Funeral simple.
Church people said:
“She loved family.”
I did not argue.
At graveside, June whispered:
“I forgive her.”
I looked.
“Okay.”
“Do you?”
I thought.
“Some.”
Then:
“Does she know?”
“No.”
June laughed softly.
“Then what’s point?”
“For us.”
Same lesson.
Then Marlene’s estate.
She had about $410,000 after legal fees and living expenses, plus small rental property sold.
Will written before conviction left everything Travis.
But after release she revised:
40% Molly.
40% June.
20% local women’s shelter.
I was uneasy.
Money as apology.
Girls adults/minors? Molly maybe19, June17 at death. Trust for June until21.
Molly asked:
“Take?”
“Your choice.”
She accepted after attorney confirmed no conditions.
Used later for college.
June accepted at21.
No forgiveness purchase.
Travis received nothing under revised will.
He could challenge? He did not.
Then one note with will:
No child should inherit my shame. This is simply property.
That was mature.
Then Walter’s donor-conception history.
Molly asked whether Marlene was hypocrite.
“Yes.”
Then she said:
“Maybe she hated herself.”
Maybe.
No need diagnose.
Then Travis’s father identity.
Who was Marlene's donor? Anonymous, no relevance. Travis could choose. From prison he sought records after release? He registered with donor registry.
At fifty, he learned donor had died years earlier.
No meeting.
He wrote June:
“I spent my life thinking bloodline was everything and never even knew mine.”
June:
“That's not Mom's fault.”
Travis:
“I know.”
Progress.
Then Emma career.
I returned full-time accounting, later became finance manager at regional HVAC company.
Normal.
No survivor empire.
Andrew worked.
We bought larger house? Our modest house enough.
Molly went to college for veterinary science? Could be. June studied graphic design? Need independent. Let's choose:
Molly became civil engineer.
June became elementary-school music teacher.
No trauma destiny.
Molly at eighteen joined donor registry.
Sperm donor, named Michael Warren, consented to contact through intermediary.
They exchanged letters.
He was sixty-one, retired chemistry teacher, married, two adult sons.
He wrote:
“I donated in college for money and because clinic said it helped families. I did not know about consent issues in your family.”
No wrongdoing.
Molly wanted meet at twenty-one.
I supported.
June declined.
Meeting public café.
Michael did not call himself father.
“I’m glad you’re healthy.”
Molly:
“Thanks for genetic half.”
He laughed.
Relationship limited occasional email.
June later requested medical contact only, no meeting.
Choice.
Then Samuel’s donor relation? same. Michael was biological contributor to Samuel too.
I told him through registry about deceased son only if I chose. Molly asked:
“Should he know?”
I said:
“Maybe.”
I sent:
“One pregnancy using your donation resulted in stillbirth after domestic violence. His name was Samuel.”
Michael replied:
“I’m sorry for your loss.”
No claim.
That was enough.
Then June wrote Travis again:
“The donor isn't Dad. You're the one who was supposed to be.”
That line destroyed me.
Travis replied months later:
May you like
“Yes.”
No defense.
