Chapter 12 - RYAN APOLOGIZED TO LILY WITHOUT ASKING HER TO FORGIVE HIMHis first supervised visit happened six weeks later.
Lily sat across from him in a child therapist’s room.
Ryan looked thinner.
No wedding suit.
No executive confidence.
Just a father waiting to see whether his daughter would speak.
She did not at first.
Then:
“Why did you hit me?”
Ryan swallowed.
“Because I got angry and lost control.”
“Was I bad?”
“No.”
“Did I make you?”
“No.”
Good.
He continued:
“I chose to hit you. That was wrong.”
Lily looked down.
Then:
“Why did you say Mommy died?”
Ryan cried.
“I was scared and overwhelmed at first.”
She watched him.
“Then I kept saying it because I didn’t want to admit I lied.”
Silence.
“And because I wanted my new life with Vanessa to be easier.”
That was hard.
Necessary.
Lily asked:
“Did you want her more than me?”
Ryan shook his head.
“No.”
“But you picked her.”
He closed his eyes.
“My choices made it feel that way.”
Lily nodded.
Children often understand behavior better than declarations.
Ryan continued:
“I am not asking you to forgive me today.”
She looked surprised.
“You’re not?”
“No.”
“Do I have to hug you?”
“No.”
“Good.”
That hurt him.
He accepted it.
May you like
The visit ended without a hug.
Progress anyway.
