Chapter 17 - Taylor’s Letter
Two years after the trial, Taylor wrote to Lily.
The envelope remained unopened for three weeks.
Lily finally asked me to read it first.
Taylor apologized.
Not perfectly.
She still wrote too much about Evelyn’s control and too little about her own choices.
But near the end, she admitted the truth.
I wanted to be your mother so badly that I helped take your real mother away.
Then I became afraid you would leave me if you knew.
So I hurt you to keep you.
That was not love.
Lily read the letter once.
Then placed it inside a drawer.
“Do you forgive her?” I asked.
“I don’t know.”
“You don’t have to decide.”
“Can I still miss her?”
“Yes.”
Taylor had raised her for seven years.
Abuse did not erase attachment.
Attachment did not excuse abuse.
Both truths could exist.
Lily eventually agreed to one supervised video call.
Taylor cried when she saw her.
Lily did not.
She asked only one question.
“Why didn’t you open the freezer?”
Taylor covered her mouth.
“I thought your dad would come.”
“You didn’t know he was coming.”
“No.”
That was the answer Lily needed.
Taylor had not saved her.
Chance had.
May you like
The call ended after six minutes.
Lily never requested another.
