it’s so noisy out here. Couldn’t we talk somewhere quiet? Like a café?” My head went light and buzzy.
When Camille didn’t reply, I said, “I agree. What our parents did to you was truly heartless. You’ve obviously been through some rough times because of them. Believe me, I know. Mother has been unkind to me more times than—”
“Please stop.” Camille put up her hands. “You cannot possibly understand. After Mrs. Gray gave me away, I was adopted by Naomi and Terrell Daniels. My adoptive mother was a good woman, a decent mother, but she died when I was ten. My father swore it was an accident with some sleeping pills, but I know what really happened. She took her own life. She couldn’t handle his abusive ways. After her death I had to grow up fast. My father lost his job and then started to drink. That made him become even more abusive. One night I barely survived the beating. So, please don’t tell me you understand. It’s deeply insulting to me.”
Marcus stirred next to me but said nothing.
“It was a bad choice of words on my part. Please forgive me. I just want to get to know you. I want to have a relationship with—”
“But why?” Camille raised her hands and splayed her fingers in the air. “You’re just going back home in a few days. We’ll never see each other again. You have your life. I have mine, what little bit I’ve scraped together for myself. You were the chosen one, Lily. The child who was born with good health and put up on the shelf to be admired … treasured. I am the broken doll that was put in a cardboard box and given away.
“Now, almost forty years later,” Camille went on to say, “you expect me to forget everything and make merry as if nothing happened. As if you can wipe away the past with a few pretty words. You’ve come to take a piece of my heart, but you might as well be asking for a slice of the moon.” She covered her mouth with a handkerchief and coughed. “That’s my message to you and your mother. I’ve been practicing it for a very long time.”
“Oh, I see. Well …” Even though Camille and I spoke the same language, and all the words were at my disposal, I stammered, feeling bewildered and spent.
Before I could find the right words, Camille said, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, Lily Winter, I’m going to finish living my life.” And then Camille turned away from me and hurried down the sidewalk. Like a rock thrown into the sea, she was absorbed by the undulating crowd.
I turned to Marcus. “I don’t want it to end this way. It just can’t. What should I do?” I took hold of his arm, nearly tearing his sleeve.
“Lily, I’m so sorry,” he said.
“I can’t let her go. I’m going to run after her.”
“You can’t run anywhere with that wounded knee, but I can.” Marcus took off after Camille, but I limped behind him. When some of the people walked on by and the crowd opened up, I got a better view of Camille and Marcus. He’d caught up with her, and they were talking. I stopped, watching intently. Marcus looked as if he was trying to convince her of something. Camille nodded slowly. She no longer appeared to be in a flight mode. Maybe Marcus could save the day, salvage the moment.
After a few moments, which seemed like time without end, he walked back toward me. With a smile on his handsome face.
Camille looked back at me. She didn’t smile, but she gave me a nod and then strode on her way.
I limped up to Marcus. “What happened?” Please let it be good news.
“ She’s willing to meet with you ,” Marcus said to me.
“Really? How did you do it? What did you say?” I latched onto the sleeve of his jacket and didn’t let go.
He glanced away, paused, and then looked at me. “I told your sister that there was a car accident a year ago that killed my sister, and it was my fault. And that I would give anything to see her again. Just one chance to say I was sorry and to tell her how much I love her. Please give
When Camille didn’t reply, I said, “I agree. What our parents did to you was truly heartless. You’ve obviously been through some rough times because of them. Believe me, I know. Mother has been unkind to me more times than—”
“Please stop.” Camille put up her hands. “You cannot possibly understand. After Mrs. Gray gave me away, I was adopted by Naomi and Terrell Daniels. My adoptive mother was a good woman, a decent mother, but she died when I was ten. My father swore it was an accident with some sleeping pills, but I know what really happened. She took her own life. She couldn’t handle his abusive ways. After her death I had to grow up fast. My father lost his job and then started to drink. That made him become even more abusive. One night I barely survived the beating. So, please don’t tell me you understand. It’s deeply insulting to me.”
Marcus stirred next to me but said nothing.
“It was a bad choice of words on my part. Please forgive me. I just want to get to know you. I want to have a relationship with—”
“But why?” Camille raised her hands and splayed her fingers in the air. “You’re just going back home in a few days. We’ll never see each other again. You have your life. I have mine, what little bit I’ve scraped together for myself. You were the chosen one, Lily. The child who was born with good health and put up on the shelf to be admired … treasured. I am the broken doll that was put in a cardboard box and given away.
“Now, almost forty years later,” Camille went on to say, “you expect me to forget everything and make merry as if nothing happened. As if you can wipe away the past with a few pretty words. You’ve come to take a piece of my heart, but you might as well be asking for a slice of the moon.” She covered her mouth with a handkerchief and coughed. “That’s my message to you and your mother. I’ve been practicing it for a very long time.”
“Oh, I see. Well …” Even though Camille and I spoke the same language, and all the words were at my disposal, I stammered, feeling bewildered and spent.
Before I could find the right words, Camille said, “Now, if you’ll excuse me, Lily Winter, I’m going to finish living my life.” And then Camille turned away from me and hurried down the sidewalk. Like a rock thrown into the sea, she was absorbed by the undulating crowd.
I turned to Marcus. “I don’t want it to end this way. It just can’t. What should I do?” I took hold of his arm, nearly tearing his sleeve.
“Lily, I’m so sorry,” he said.
“I can’t let her go. I’m going to run after her.”
“You can’t run anywhere with that wounded knee, but I can.” Marcus took off after Camille, but I limped behind him. When some of the people walked on by and the crowd opened up, I got a better view of Camille and Marcus. He’d caught up with her, and they were talking. I stopped, watching intently. Marcus looked as if he was trying to convince her of something. Camille nodded slowly. She no longer appeared to be in a flight mode. Maybe Marcus could save the day, salvage the moment.
After a few moments, which seemed like time without end, he walked back toward me. With a smile on his handsome face.
Camille looked back at me. She didn’t smile, but she gave me a nod and then strode on her way.
I limped up to Marcus. “What happened?” Please let it be good news.
“ She’s willing to meet with you ,” Marcus said to me.
“Really? How did you do it? What did you say?” I latched onto the sleeve of his jacket and didn’t let go.
He glanced away, paused, and then looked at me. “I told your sister that there was a car accident a year ago that killed my sister, and it was my fault. And that I would give anything to see her again. Just one chance to say I was sorry and to tell her how much I love her. Please give
Similar Books
