“No.”
“I wanted Julian to understand.”
“By blaming Dad?”
Elena looked ashamed.
“I’ve told the story that way for so long.”
“That doesn’t make it true.”
“No.”
For once, she didn’t argue.
“I don’t know how to fix this.”
Chloe looked across the room.
Her father was trying to teach Maya’s little boy how to balance a spoon on his nose.
“You don’t fix fifteen years tonight.”
Elena followed her gaze.
“What do I do?”
Chloe thought about it.
“Start by telling the truth.”
“To who?”
“Yourself.”
Elena’s eyes filled.
“And then?”
“You show up.”
The same lesson her father had given during his toast.
Show up.
That’s most of it.
Chloe didn’t know whether Elena would.
Maybe she would disappear again.
Maybe she would try.
Maybe some of the sisters would forgive her eventually and others never would.
That belonged to each of them.
