Lila

When Lila left Adele’s house, her heart was full. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d had such a joyful, laid-back Christmas celebration, and in her current state, she needed it.

The best part might’ve been meeting Charlotte’s family. Charlotte and her husband Andy arrived with their three kids in tow, and Lila greeted them in the entryway.

“Lila, this is my family,” Charlotte said. “My husband Andy.”

Tall, yet somewhat stocky, Andy had a kind face and a nice smile. He shook Lila’s hand, then Tom’s. “Good to meet you both, and thanks for having us.”

“And this is our son Drew and our girls Julia and Maddie.”

One by one, Lila shook their hands, and when she got to Maddie, the little girl smiled at her. “Thank you,” she said.

Lila glanced at Charlotte, who watched Maddie with pride.

“For what?”

“For getting tested,” Maddie said. “It’s what I wanted most for Christmas.”

Lila’s throat swelled and she bit the inside of her lip to keep from crying. “I’m happy to do it, Maddie. I’m praying we can get you all better.”

Charlotte’s family had fit right in, and Lila began to imagine getting together with her sister after she had the baby. Charlotte had even talked about renting a cottage in Sweethaven for a week this summer or flying down to Macon after the baby came.

The idea of it, which would’ve sent her into a frenzy only a few short weeks ago, warmed Lila’s heart and made her think maybe she actually had a chance at a normal family.

“What do you think Mama and Daddy did today?” Lila broke the silence with her unintentional question.

Tom glanced at her, then back to the road. “Do you want to go find out?”

Lila played with the ring on her left hand. “I feel bad for them, Tom.”

“That’s good.”

She gave him a puzzled look.

“You’ve changed. A year ago, finding this out about your parents, well, you would’ve written them off once and for all. But here you are, thinking about them and feeling bad for them. It’s good.”

Lila stared out the window. Tom was right. All these years, she’d been the person her mother had raised her to be, but there had been so many other influences—Suzanne and Adele and Jane—people who taught her what unconditional love looked like. Perhaps she’d become more like them than she realized.

Perhaps she’d always been more like them and less like Mama.

“Can you take me there?” Lila asked.

“To the lake house?”

She nodded.

“You sure?”

“I think so.”

Her parents might not even be there. They might have gone back to Macon after they found out Lila and the baby were both going to be fine.

Tom made the turn into the driveway and Lila realized she was holding her breath. The empty driveway gave nothing away. Daddy would’ve put the car in the garage. She wouldn’t know if they were home until she knocked on the door.

“Wait there, the driveway looks slick,” Tom said, turning off the engine. He walked around to her side of the car and helped her out. The fall at the Whitmore fresh in her mind, Lila clung to his arm. With his strength behind her, she felt solid and strong.

Those feelings waned as soon as she rang the bell.

Moments later, the door opened and Mama stood on the other side of the glass.

“Can we come in?”

Mama didn’t say a word. Instead, she opened the door and allowed them to pass by her, into the entryway.

“Is Daddy here?”

“In his study.”

Lila called for her father, who appeared in the doorway, a shocked look on his face.

“Are you here to apologize?” Mama asked. She stood, glaring, arms crossed in front of her.

Lila’s nerve dwindled, but Tom’s hand on the small of her back reminded her why she’d come.

“I came to tell you that I forgive you both.”

Mama’s brows shot upward. “You forgive us?”

“Parents can do wrong by their children, Mama.” Lila pressed her lips together. “Some of them even say they’re sorry.” She was careful to keep her tone calm. She hadn’t come for a fight—she simply knew if she didn’t get it out, the only person it would harm was her.

Daddy took a few steps toward her, but one glance at Mama and he stilled.

All these years, she thought Daddy had the upper hand, but the scene in front of her painted a very different picture.

“I’ve realized something the past few weeks,” Lila said, her voice shaking. “I’ll never be good enough for you, and that’s okay.”

Mama looked away, an annoyed expression on her face.

“Because I’m not supposed to be who you want me to be. I’m supposed to be who God made me to be.”

“Now you’re going to bring God into all this?” Mama scoffed.

“God made me to be different from you—both of you. And while I hope one day we can get past all of this, I know that the family I have with Tom is what’s really important now. I’m going to make my own mistakes, but I can promise you, I’m not going to repeat yours.”

“You sound more high and mighty than ever.”

“Cilla, let her talk.” Daddy’s face had turned to stone.

Mama opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it.

“The truth is, I want you both to love me, and I want you to know our son.”

Daddy’s eyes widened.

“It’s a boy.” Lila let her hands rest on her stomach where her son grew. “But you already have a grandson, Daddy.”

Daddy frowned.

“His name is Drew and he’s very sweet.”

Mama stiffened. “You’ve met him?”

Lila nodded.

“How could you do that to us, Lila?”

“I didn’t do anything to you, Mama. I did it for me. I want to know my family. I want to try to save my niece’s life. Something you should’ve done.” Lila took a deep breath.

Neither of her parents said a word. Daddy seemed lost in thought and Mama looked like she might explode.

So far, this was going exactly as she expected. Why couldn’t she just forgive them quietly—by herself?

“I’m not saying this to hurt you. It’s just what needed to be said so I could move on.”

Mama leveled her glare. “I hope you’re happy with yourself. Because of you, our family has fallen apart. We can’t go back now—all we can do is pretend none of this ever happened.”

Lila’s heart sank. Mama hadn’t listened to a word she said. She glanced at Tom, who’d stayed silent by her side the whole time. Even without her parents, she knew she could count on her husband. “We can go, Tom.”

“That’s all you came here for?” Mama asked.

“There is somewhere to go from here, but on the outside it won’t look all pretty and wrapped up in a red bow. It’ll mean coming clean with Charlotte—making things right with the whole family. Admitting your mistakes.” She stared at Mama. “Why I thought you could do that, I’m not sure.”

“Thank you for coming, Lila,” Daddy said.

Lila glanced at him, a shell of a man. His lies threatened to unravel him.

“Come to the Christmas Eve service,” Lila said, walking toward her father. “Charlotte brought her family, and Tom and I will be there. We want to spend Christmas with you.”

Lila detected a hint of hopefulness in his expression.

“You can go now, Lila,” Mama said. “We’re spending Christmas Eve here.”

Lila’s eyes pleaded with Daddy’s—to make the right choice, to make things right not just with her, but with Charlotte and his grandchildren. The thought surprised even her, but she wanted that—for all of them.

“It starts at midnight.”

As soon as Lila and Tom cleared the door, her mother slammed it shut behind them and Lila burst into tears. Tom wrapped his arm around her waist and steadied her down the slippery steps.

“Why did I think anything I said would matter?”

They walked around to the other side of the car where Tom made sure she got in safely. Once they were on the road, he took her hand. “I’m proud of you for standing up to her like that.”

“It didn’t do any good.”

“You can’t change her, Lila. The only thing you can do is get yourself right. You did that today—for maybe the first time ever.”

Lila let his words hover in the air, winding their way into her heart. He was right. She wasn’t retaliating or trying to wound them with her words. She said what she needed to say to move on. To forgive them.

And something about that freed her in a way she hadn’t expected.