“She fainted? She’ll live. 0ur flight with your sister leaves at six,” Dad said, and they went. I spent nine days in that ward alne. They str0lled back demanding to sign me out.

Lily’s father had left when he learned I was pregnant.

That was the version I had always told her.

It was true.

But it wasn’t the whole story.

The truth was that I had loved him deeply.

I had imagined marriage.

A small house.

A family.

And even after he walked away, I spent months hoping he would change his mind.

Lily never knew that part.