Chapter 13 - JULIAN ASKED WHY ARTHUR STOPPED LOOKINGThis conversation nearly destroyed Arthur.
Julian was still in the hospital.
Arthur sat beside him.
His son asked:
“When did you stop?”
Arthur knew what he meant.
“Searching?”
“Yes.”
“Nine months.”
Julian looked away.
“I knew.”
Arthur froze.
“How?”
“Victoria told me.”
“She said you gave up after eight.”
Arthur closed his eyes.
Julian continued:
“I kept thinking maybe if I survived another week…”
He stopped.
Arthur’s face crumpled.
“I’m sorry.”
Julian looked at him.
“You believed them.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Arthur answered truthfully.
“Because I was exhausted.”
Then:
“Because every investigator found nothing.”
“And because the people lying to me were my wife and brother.”
Julian nodded.
Not forgiveness.
Understanding.
Arthur said:
“I should have kept looking.”
Julian answered:
“Yes.”
The word hurt.
It was supposed to.
Then Arthur said:
“I can’t change that.”
“No.”
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“But I won’t ask you to pretend it didn’t happen.”
That was where rebuilding began.
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