Chapter 17 - The Birthday Photograph
Lily turned four on a bright spring morning.
She had Elena’s gray eyes.
My dark hair.
And enough personality for six adults.
Her birthday party filled our backyard.
Thomas pushed her on the swing.
Nathan, now working legitimately in security consulting, brought his family.
Rebecca arrived late and immediately got frosting on her jacket.
Even Robert came.
His relationship with Elena remained complicated.
She had not forgotten what he did.
Forgiveness, when it came at all, came slowly.
But he showed up.
Sometimes showing up was the first step.
Near sunset, we took a photograph.
Elena sat beside me.
Lily climbed onto my lap.
Thomas stood behind us.
The camera clicked.
Later that evening, I compared the photograph to an old Mercer family portrait.
The difference struck me.
In the old photograph, everyone looked perfect.
Nobody looked happy.
In this one, Lily had frosting on her face.
My tie was crooked.
Elena was laughing.
Thomas wasn’t looking at the camera.
It was imperfect.
And it was real.
May you like
I framed it.
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