Finding a Happy Ever After

voice trembling. "I mean, cheating on me is very low, even for him. And the w

though he had just hea

, no. I don't believe it. Dav

augh, wiping her cheeks w

either, Dad. Not unti

rching her face for any sign that she might be mistaken or exagge

ious?" he as

ey n

unately

in disbelief and sank

face. "I mean, I know people change, but I never imagined he would do som

d I," Audre

trying to process what his daughter had told him, whil

t she hadn't expected it to hurt this much all over again.

ally looke

derstand what he

shook h

I don't think I want to spend any

ce again and too

They're part of me, Dad. They're my children, and they need me. I can't waste all my

the last sentence,

th everything, but the truth was that she was still hurting. She had loved David deeply, and ac

and moved c

, sweetheart, but I bet there

diately loo

ibly be behind breaking my heart? What exp

"I'm only saying that sometimes, when things happen sud

ind David breaking my

d fresh tears slip

me. I didn't force him to cheat, and I didn't ask

fell

her, and he regretted that his attempt to make se

ed for h

t. You don't have to explai

ead, trying to stop

close, just as he had done when she was a little gir

ne. I know it doesn't feel that way right now, bu

her head again

lowed herself to stop pretending that she was

her, patting her back with the same te

y slowly pulled away

sorry

d fro

you apolog

ing all

is shoulder, t

rs. Besides, you're my daughter. If you can't cry on m

lf, Audrey sm

k you

e squeeze. "And don't think you have to figure out yo

dded s

r furniture, the old photographs, and the little decorations she remembered from h

hile since I've been

tilted

hasn't bee

aised an

rea

even-" He paused, counting silently on h

stared

rst into a

ad! You just pr

d a hand di

t that long. Time

ou count it

was counti

, smiling through the

s trying to make me feel better, e

ver his chest as thoug

accusation against a man who has done

eight years isn

nd by my s

ain, this time a

aughter laugh like that in his home. He knew her smile hadn't erased her pain

r. "Whatever happened, it's not your fault. You've been carrying a

aded into a thou

can say t

into a chair, and Ed

ontinued. "I didn't want to keep feeling as though I was somehow responsible for her death.

expressio

d around the

pt myself busy and built my own life somewhere else, I wouldn't have to keep remembering

llowing the lum

get away from the memories, but being here makes

ly before giving her

he said. "She could walk into a room and somehow make everything

urned to

here

ored her i

orget every problem you had. Sometimes, I think her co

urst out

Mom's cooking was the secret

ood meal can sol

you have always been terrible a

stared

use

miled in

only tellin

ust discussed, you still

simply bei

, but a smile slowly

tease m

"Then stop givin

or a moment, his s

s is

d toward him

at

home again after so long, getting to tease you and having y

expressio

having like children. She would tell me that I was supposed to be the res

y chu

u were always the

t t

y tr

her would probably agree

, looking dow

guess you

iet again. But this time, the silen

ne of the family photog

brought so much love into our lives. Even now, there are moments when I

ollowed

iss

, his eyes gr

No day goes by that I

ached for

u spent so many years with Mom ma

r how she used to stand there, humming while she cooked. Other times, I see

when you love someone deeply. They become part of your eve

her eyes s

sorry

urned to

are you s

and wrapped her

t wish things could

hugged

e, and sometimes things happen that we don't understand. But we have to

ttle tighter before

he glanced toward the dining table, where th

arrowed th

me where you got this food from?

ed at her i

ou're still o

..