Chapter 13
June agreed to meet Caleb almost a year after the nursery attack.
Her lawyer remained nearby.
Elara did not come.
Caleb had considered bringing a photograph.
His therapist told him not to.
“You are apologizing to June. Do not use the baby to make the conversation easier for you.”
So he arrived empty-handed.
June sat across from him.
Caleb began:
“I’m sorry.”
She waited.
He continued.
“I kicked you while you were protecting Elara.”
“Yes.”
“I believed Meredith.”
“Yes.”
“I had reasons to be confused for about five seconds.”
June’s eyes narrowed slightly.
Caleb continued before she had to.
“And none of those reasons explain what I did after Elara was already in my arms.”
June relaxed a fraction.
“That is better.”
“I also ignored you before that night.”
“Yes.”
“I made Meredith the person who received complaints about Meredith.”
A humorless smile crossed June’s face.
“That was efficient.”
“I deserved that.”
“No. You deserved several things. Sarcasm is the inexpensive one.”
Caleb almost smiled.
Then stopped.
“I’m not asking you to forgive me.”
“Good.”
“I’m not asking you to work for me.”
“Very good.”
“I wanted you to know I understand that Meredith didn’t fool me in one minute.”
June looked at him.
“She prepared you.”
“Yes.”
“And you helped.”
“Yes.”
That answer mattered.
Caleb had spent months understanding that manipulation worked best when it attached itself to an existing weakness.
His weakness had not been love for Elara.
It had been his belief that decisive action was always safer than uncertainty.
Meredith gave him certainty.
June paid for it.
Then June asked:
“How is Elara?”
“Her hand is healing well. Full movement.”
June looked down.
Her voice changed.
“Does she remember me?”
“She’s nineteen months old.”
“That’s not an answer.”
Caleb considered.
“When she sees old pictures, sometimes she points at you.”
June’s eyes filled.
He did not add anything.
Finally she said:
“I might want to see her someday.”
Caleb nodded.
“Okay.”
“I said might.”
“I heard you.”
“And if I do, it isn’t me coming back.”
“I know.”
June stood.
At the door, she turned.
“Do you?”
Caleb answered:
May you like
“Yes.”
This time she believed him enough not to argue.
