He Left Our Daughter To Drown But I Saved The Footage Chapter 17
She never called for me. She never said she was scared. She just made sure she was ready to flee at a moment’s notice.
But this time, she came to me.
I lifted the covers and pulled her into my arms.
“It’s okay to be scared.”
I kissed the top of her head.
“When you’re with me, you can always say it when you’re scared.”
Maisie nodded against my chest.
Her body was still trembling, but the hand clutching my pajamas slowly relaxed, and her breathing evened out.
The rain continued to fall outside.
She closed her eyes and didn’t ask when we had to leave.
She was finally starting to believe that when she was afraid, she didn’t have to wait alone.
Six months later, using my savings and the assets from the divorce, I opened a children’s art studio near our apartment.
The walls were covered with Maisie’s drawings.
The most prominent one was of a huge tree. On the trunk, she had written “Mom.” Beneath its sprawling canopy, a little bird tilted its head back and sang.
Someone once asked her where the other bird was.
Crayon in hand, she answered with total calm,
“The daddy bird flew to a different forest.”
She no longer slept with her shoes on.
The psychologist said her recovery was going well.
She rejoined the school soccer team. When she felt scared, she came to me. When she didn’t want to do something, she said no. Sometimes she even threw her arms around my neck and acted spoiled, just because she could.
One Friday afternoon, I was putting away art supplies when the smile vanished from Maisie’s face.
Across the street stood Evan.
He had lost weight and grown a beard. He was holding a wrapped soccer ball. He just stood there, staring across the road, not daring to come any closer.
Maisie dropped her paintbrush and rushed to my side, her hand gripping the hem of my shirt.
“Mom, I don’t want to see him.”
Her voice was soft, but there wasn’t a trace of hesitation in it.
I crouched down immediately and gathered her into my arms.
“Okay. Then we won’t.”
I didn’t tell her to forgive him.
I didn’t say a single word in his defense.
Outside the large glass window, Evan finally lowered his head.
I took Maisie’s hand and drew the curtain shut.