Chapter 14 - Marcus Comes Home
Almost a year passed before Marcus asked to have dinner with Lily and me.
Not at a steakhouse.
Not somewhere impressive.
My kitchen.
He brought groceries.
Then burned the chicken.
Lily laughed so hard she had to sit down.
For a few minutes, we felt like a family again.
Not the old family.
Something new.
More fragile.
More truthful.
After dinner, Marcus handed Lily an envelope.
She stiffened.
“What is this?”
“Three thousand five hundred dollars.”
She stared at him.
“I don't understand.”
“The money you gave Mom.”
“Marcus—”
“I know it doesn't erase anything.”
He looked at me.
“I know.”
Then back at Lily.
“But that should have been my responsibility too.”
Lily didn't take the envelope immediately.
Finally, she did.
“Thank you.”
Marcus nodded.
Then he said something I never expected.
“You were more of a daughter to her than I was a son.”
Lily's eyes filled.
“Don't do that.”
“What?”
“Don't turn this into a competition.”
Marcus looked confused.
“She doesn't need one good child and one bad child,” Lily said. “She needs two adults who stop hurting her.”
The room became silent.
Then Marcus smiled faintly.
“You always were smarter than me.”
May you like
“Obviously.”
For the first time in years, they laughed together.
