The next morning, Grandma received a message from Dad.
He had seen the photograph.
He said I looked happy.
Grandma showed it to me.
I smiled.
Then she put the phone away.
"Would you like to visit the garden?"
I nodded.
We spent the morning watering the flowers.
I held the small watering can while Grandma helped me avoid getting the soil too wet.
Afterward, we sat on the bench.
I asked whether Dad would visit again.
Grandma said he had requested another meeting.
I looked at the flowers.
"Do I have to?"
"No."
I thought about it.
Then I said I might want to see him.
But I didn't want to go back to the birthday house.
Grandma nodded.
"That's something we can explain when the arrangements are made."
A few days later, the adults arranged another supported visit.
It would take place at a quiet family meeting room.
My aunt would be there.
Grandma would be there too.
I was allowed to bring Lily.
I chose my yellow cardigan.
It was comfortable.
Grandma helped me brush my hair.
Then she checked my wrists.
The bandages were no longer as thick as before.
My cheek had almost returned to its usual color.
But I still remembered everything.
When we arrived, Dad was waiting.
He stood up when he saw us.
"Hello, sweetheart."
I nodded.
"Hello."
He looked at my cardigan.
"That's a nice color."
I looked down.
"Thank you."
We sat.
For a moment, nobody knew what to say.
Then Dad placed a small paper bag on the table.
"I brought you something."
I looked inside.
There was a new doll.
She wore a pink dress and had long brown hair.
I looked at her.
Then I looked at Lily.
Dad smiled uncertainly.
"I thought you might like it."
I held the bag.
"Thank you."
He seemed relieved.
But I didn't put Lily down.
He noticed.
"Do you still play with that old doll?"
I nodded.
"She's my friend."
Dad looked at Lily's repaired arm.
"She's been fixed."
"Grandma helped."
He nodded.
Then he said he had been thinking about the birthday.
He explained that he had been worried about the guests.
He had wanted everything to look nice.
He had made a bad decision.
I listened.
Then he said he was sorry.
I looked at the new doll.
I wanted to ask why he had thought a new toy would make things better.
But I didn't.
Instead, I asked something else.
"Would you have let me sit with everyone if my cheek wasn't purple?"
Dad looked at me.
He seemed surprised.
Then he lowered his eyes.
"I should have let you sit with everyone anyway."
I waited.
He continued.
"I shouldn't have made you feel ashamed."
I nodded.
That was a better answer.
But I still needed something more.
"Will you hide me again?"
He shook his head.
"No."
Grandma didn't interrupt.
My aunt remained quiet.
Dad looked at me.
"I won't do that again."
I wanted to believe him.
But I remembered what Grandma had said.
Words were only the beginning.
The adults continued talking about the arrangements that would need to remain in place.
Dad was expected to cooperate.
There would be further reviews.
My safety and well-being would remain the priority.
Nobody promised that everything would immediately return to normal.
At the end of the meeting, Dad asked whether he could give me a hug.
I looked at Grandma.
She didn't answer for me.
I thought about it.
Then I said, "Not today."
Dad nodded.
"All right."
He didn't argue.
That was important.
When we left, I carried both dolls.
Lily was under my arm.
The new doll was in the paper bag.
Grandma asked whether I liked the new one.
I nodded.
"But Lily is still my favorite."
Grandma smiled.
"That's perfectly fine."
I looked back once.
Dad was still standing near the table.
He didn't follow us.
He simply watched us leave.
For the first time, I felt that my answer had been respected.
Click here to continue reading: PART 15: The First Family Gathering After the Birthday Was Not What My Father Expected, Because This Time Nobody Was Allowed to Pretend I Was Missing
My Father Wanted a Perfect Birthday Photograph, but He Had Forgotten That One Person in the Room Always Noticed the Things Everyone Else Ignored
Part 14 of 20
