Chapter 28 - the question elena had been afraid to ask
One evening, Elena asked me something I had been expecting.
"Do you regret proposing to Corinne?"
I was silent.
"Yes."
She looked down.
"I know."
"I don't regret loving you."
Her eyes filled.
"I know."
"I regret not seeing what was happening."
She shook her head.
"Don't make yourself responsible for everything."
"I was responsible for Sadie."
"You protected her when you finally understood."
"Too late."
"Still."
She took my hand.
"You keep thinking the story is about the moment you failed."
I looked at her.
"It isn't?"
"No."
"What is it about?"
"The moment you decided not to fail again."
I couldn't answer.
Elena leaned closer.
"You came back for me."
"Of course."
"You believed me."
"Yes."
"You listened to Daphne."
"Eventually."
She smiled.
"That's the part I remember."
I held her hand.
For years, I had thought guilt was proof that I loved my family.
Elena taught me something different.
May you like
Sometimes letting go of guilt was also a way of loving the people who had survived with you.
---
