Chapter 17 - What a Father Is Supposed to Hear
"Because I was scared and I thought the grown-up I knew must be telling the truth," I said at last. "I should have listened to you."
Lily looked at the carpet. "I told you the wet lady was nice."
"You did. I believe you now, and I'm sorry I didn't listen sooner."
"Can you say sorry to her again?"
"As many times as she needs."
A few days later Nora agreed to meet us at a quiet park. I asked Lily first, and she said yes if Grace came too. Nora brought a yellow rubber duck, brand new, and kept it in her pocket until Lily noticed it.
"I thought you might not want to see another one," Nora said.
Lily studied it. "It's okay if it stays on the grass."
Nora placed it beside a tree. They sat there for nearly an hour talking about things that had nothing to do with the pool: bugs, strawberry ice cream and how much Lily missed her mother's laugh.
Before we left, Lily touched Nora's bandaged wrist. "Did I do that?"
"The pool wall did," Nora said. "And it'll heal."
"Thank you for coming to get me."
"You were worth coming for."
I turned away because my eyes were burning. Nora had lost shifts, faced strangers' threats and been accused by the father of the child she'd saved. Yet she was helping that child feel safe again without asking for recognition.
When we reached the car, Nora stopped me. "I saw the independent audit summary," she said. "They found more than the gate."
"How much more?"
"Two missing lifeguard posts on the weekend schedule, expired inspection records, and emergency drills marked completed on days the building was closed."
May you like
She looked toward Lily, buckling herself into the backseat.
"The pool didn't fail her once, Caleb. People failed her for years."
