Chapter 11 - Lily Asked Me to Stay
Claire’s nursing graduation happened three years after midnight knock.
Lily was six.
She wore purple dress matching rabbit.
I sat with Michael, Daniel, Matteo.
When Claire walked stage, Lily screamed, “THAT’S MY MOMMY!”
Entire auditorium laughed.
Afterward we had dinner.
Claire had job offer at children’s hospital.
Night shifts.
Hard.
Good.
She worried relationship.
“I can adjust.”
“No.”
“What?”
“You have company.”
“Yes.”
“I have career.”
“Yes.”
“So we both adjust.”
Right.
I was still learning not to absorb every problem simply because I could.
Claire started work.
We saw less.
Relationship survived.
Then one night Lily called.
“Adrian?”
“What?”
“Mommy is sleeping at hospital.”
“She’s working.”
“I know. Can you come?”
Babysitter was there.
Safe.
“What happened?”
“Thunder.”
Lily hated storms.
I drove over.
Read story.
She fell asleep holding my sleeve.
In morning Claire returned.
Saw us.
Cried quietly.
“What?”
“Nothing.”
“That is clearly something.”
She touched Lily’s hair.
“Owen used to do that.”
I froze.
“Sorry.”
“No.”
Claire smiled through tears.
“I’m glad she gets more love. Not less.”
That sentence stayed.
Months later, Lily asked, “Are you going to marry Mommy?”
I choked on coffee.
Claire heard from kitchen.
“Lily!”
“What? I need to know.”
I looked at child.
“I hope so.”
Claire stared.
Lily nodded.
“Okay.”
Then returned coloring.
I looked at Claire.
“Well.”
“Worst proposal ever.”
“Not proposal.”
“Good.”
I waited six months.
Then proposed properly.
Not grand.
At estate greenhouse where she nearly lost Lily during attack.
Why there?
Because place had become garden schoolroom for staff children after security redesign.
New meaning.
I knelt.
Lily whispered, “Better?”
Exactly like first night.
May you like
I laughed so hard proposal speech collapsed.
Claire said yes anyway.
