Chapter 9 - The Cemetery
David asked for a supervised visit to Lily’s grave.
I opposed it.
Then changed my mind.
He arrived in county transport looking ordinary.
That almost offended me.
He knelt by the stone.
“Hey, bug.”
That was his name for her.
I had forgotten.
He cried badly.
No speech worked.
After ten minutes, he looked at me.
“Why didn’t you tell me after?”
I laughed once.
“I called you fifty times.”
“No. After she died.”
The question was real to him.
He still needed one small place where my silence could share blame.
“You told me not to contact you for two weeks.”
“I would’ve come home.”
“Maybe.”
“Maya.”
“Maybe.”
He hated uncertainty.
He asked, “Did she ask for me?”
I could have lied.
“She did.”
Lily had woken for a minute.
“Dad coming?”
“I’m trying,” I told her.
Then she asked for ice.
No movie goodbye.
Just that.
David pressed his forehead into wet grass.
I turned away.
At the car, Naomi handed me a new board report.
A hidden reserve had been discovered.
At Lily's grave, David kept brushing wet leaves from the stone even after there were none left.
His hands needed a job.
Mine had done the same thing in ICU, smoothing a blanket that was already flat.
For one second I hated that grief made us look alike.
Then I hated myself for caring.
Nothing about mourning was tidy enough to preserve hatred properly.
Twenty-one million dollars.
The access logs pointed to my encrypted approval.
My name was back inside the money.
Again.
---
(To be continued)
Thank you for reading up to this point.
If this story moved you, surprised you, or gave you something to think about, we'd love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment below and let us know how you would have handled the situation.
May you like
Don't forget to follow our page for more unforgettable stories filled with drama, emotion, unexpected twists, and life lessons. Your support means the world to us—and we'll see you in the next story.
Bookmark my website: https://metro.treeiq.biz if you enjoy these stories.
