Chapter 12 - Megan Apologized Without Asking Lily to Forgive Her
Six months passed before Lily saw Megan again.
It happened because Lily asked.
We were driving past Carol’s neighborhood.
“Does Aunt Megan still live with Grandma?”
“No.”
“Where?”
“Nearby.”
“Is she still mad?”
“I don’t know.”
Then:
“Is she sorry?”
“Yes.”
“How you know?”
“She told me.”
Lily considered that.
“Can she tell me?”
So we arranged it.
Neutral place.
A family therapist present.
Megan sat across from Lily.
No pearls.
No burgundy blouse.
Jeans.
Sweater.
She looked more frightened than she had at Thanksgiving.
“I hit you.”
Lily nodded.
“You were little, and I was angry, and I hit you.”
Another nod.
“That was wrong.”
Lily looked at me.
Then back at Megan.
“Mommy hit you too.”
“Yes.”
I spoke.
“And Mommy already told Aunt Megan that was wrong too.”
Lily seemed satisfied.
Then she asked:
“Why did you hit me?”
Megan swallowed.
“Because I was angry about Daddy’s company and Grandpa and money and a chair.”
Lily frowned.
“That’s dumb.”
The therapist almost smiled.
Megan did.
“It was very dumb.”
“Was I bad?”
“No.”
“Was I dirty?”
Megan’s eyes filled.
“No.”
“Did I ruin Thanksgiving?”
“No.”
“Who did?”
Megan thought.
“The grown-ups did.”
That was accurate.
Then Lily asked:
“Do you hate me?”
“No.”
“Do you hate Mommy?”
Megan looked at me.
“No.”
That answer might not have been completely true yet.
But it was close enough to what she was working toward.
Then Lily asked the hardest question.
“Are you gonna hit me again?”
Megan’s voice shook.
“No.”
“How do I know?”
Silence.
Then Megan answered correctly.
“You don’t have to know yet.”
Lily looked at her.
“You have to show me?”
Megan started crying.
“Yes.”
Exactly.
No apology purchases trust.
It begins the work.
At the end, Lily did not hug her.
Megan did not ask.
Lily waved.
Megan waved back.
That was enough.
Outside, I told Megan:
“You handled that well.”
She laughed bitterly.
“I had six months to practice not making it about me.”
“Useful skill.”
May you like
“Apparently our whole family needs it.”
For once, we agreed.
