“You did.”
Across the room, David looked at Kayla.
“I failed you.”
She stared at him.
“I thought staying quiet would protect you.”
For a long time, Kayla said nothing.
Then she finally answered,
“I needed you to tell Mom.”
David lowered his head.
“I know.”
“You should have trusted me enough to tell her.”
His eyes filled.
“I know.”
Kayla didn’t tell him everything was okay.
She simply reached toward him.
David crossed the room and hugged her.
“I’m sorry,” he whispered.
And she held him.
Healing didn’t happen immediately after that.
Kayla began therapy.
David and I did too.
There were difficult weeks.
Long silences.
Anger.
Guilt.
Questions we couldn’t always answer.
I kept thinking about everything I had missed.
The long sleeves.
Canceled plans.
