He Accused Me Of Stealing But I Heard The Truth Chapter 20
“This isn’t new. You’re just now starting to see it.”
I knew the words would cut him.
But I had been hurting for six years. I wasn’t about to soften the truth for his sake.
Derek didn’t follow me inside.
When I got back to the room, Maisie was listening to a nurse read a picture book.
The moment she saw me, her eyes curved into a smile.
“Mommy, you’re back early today.”
“I brought you breakfast.”
I handed her a warm cup of oat milk.
She took a sip and made a face.
“It isn’t sweet.”
“The doctor said nothing too sweet for now.”
Maisie looked out the window.
“When I don’t need shots anymore, can I have one of those colorful donuts from the shop on the corner?”
“Yes.”
“Should we buy one for Derek, too?”
I froze.
“You want to give him one?”
She shook her head, then slowly nodded.
“He looks really sad when he cries.”
“He cried?”
“Yesterday, when you were gone. He stood outside the door, and his eyes were all red, like those white rabbits we used to see in the park.”
Derek almost never let anyone see him lose his composure.
When we were together, I had only ever heard him say “don’t go” once, in his sleep. When he woke, he immediately let go of me, as if nothing had happened.
I smoothed Maisie’s hair.
“You don’t have to feel sorry for him. If you want to give him a donut, you can. If you don’t, that’s okay, too.”
She thought about it.
“I still want to. When I was hungry before, Maria used to save bread for me, and it made me feel less scared. Maybe if he eats something sweet, he won’t cry outside the door anymore.”
I bent down and kissed her forehead.
She had been through so much, and still she was willing to give away a piece of her kindness.
I had to protect that. The power games between Derek and Rachel had no business touching her.