Chapter 9 - You Did Enough
That was the kind of mother Lily needed.
Not one who fought instead of her forever.
One who stood between her and the next blow long enough for Lily to remember she could stand too.
On the fifth anniversary of the restaurant night, Lily and Sofia ate dinner at a small Italian place near the harbor.
No private room.
No chandeliers.
No Hales.
Just two bowls of pasta, warm bread, and a window looking out at the water.
Lily wore green.
Sofia noticed.
“You hate green.”
“I used to.”
“Because Marcus said it made you look washed out?”
Lily smiled.
“Because I believed him.”
Sofia lifted her glass.
“To green.”
Lily laughed and touched her glass to her mother’s.
Halfway through dinner, a man at another table raised his voice at the woman beside him.
Not violent.
Not yet.
But sharp enough that Lily’s hand tightened around her fork.
Sofia saw.
The woman at the other table went very still.
Lily stood.
Sofia looked up.
“Do you want me?”
Lily took a breath.
“No. I’ve got it.”
She walked to the manager and spoke quietly.
The manager looked toward the table, nodded, and moved.
No scene.
No performance.
The woman was checked on.
The man lowered his voice.
The room adjusted.
Lily returned to the table.
Her hands shook when she sat.
Sofia reached across, palm up.
Lily took it.
“I’m proud of you,” Sofia said.
Lily looked toward the harbor.
“I didn’t do much.”
“You did enough.”
Lily smiled faintly.
Enough.
May you like
Sometimes rescue looked like a mother standing between her daughter and a violent man.
Sometimes healing looked like the daughter standing up before the next woman had to be dragged down.
