“And if this school knew that child was hiding in a bathroom,” I said, turning to Mr. Brennan, “then this room is not where the story ends.”
“I can’t take that.”
Millie touched the wig at her temple like she still didn’t trust it. Letty smiled at her. “Different doesn’t have to mean bad.”
That was when she finally looked at the man who’d worked with my husband. “You really came here because I cut my hair?”
Hank rubbed his eyes. “No, kiddo. We came because the second Luis told us what you did, every one of us said the same thing.”
He looked at me, then at Letty.
“That’s Jonathan’s girl.”
The room went still.
“Different doesn’t have to mean bad.”
I took the envelope with both hands. “I can’t read this in front of people.”
“I can read what he left with me,” Marcus said. “You read yours later.”
He cleared his throat and pulled a note from his pocket:
“If my girls ever forget what kind of man I tried to be, remind them by how you show up.
Letty will always lead with her heart. Piper will pretend she’s fine and carry too much by herself. Don’t let either one of them stand alone if you can help it.”
I covered my mouth.
“Letty will always lead with her heart.”
Millie’s mother crossed the room and crouched beside me. “I’m Jenna,” she said softly. “And… thank you. I don’t know how to thank your daughter.”
I swallowed hard. “Our family fought cancer too. Letty watched all of it happen to her father. She knows what it costs people.”
