Chapter 6

After the funeral, Daniel began calling every day.

“Can you forgive me?”

I usually said nothing.

“Can you give me one chance?”

Again, silence.

Our families became involved.

His mother called.

My parents called.

Everyone had an opinion.

But the decision was mine.

One evening, Daniel said,

“I don’t need you to forget what I did.”

“Then what do you want?”

“I want you to know that I’m not that man anymore.”

I closed my eyes.

“You don’t know how many times I’ve heard that.”

“I know.”

“And what if you become him again?”

“Then you should leave me.”

That answer stayed with me.

Because once upon a time, Daniel would have begged me to stay.

Now he was finally telling me that I had the right to leave.

Still, there was one reason I couldn’t say yes.

One thing I had never told anyone.

Not even Daniel.

A secret from ten years ago.

A secret buried so deeply that I had convinced myself it no longer mattered.

But it did.