Chapter 26 - It was the three-year anniversary.
August 12th.
The internet didn't remember. There were no articles. No viral videos. The world had entirely moved on.
I took the day off work.
I didn't stay in bed. I didn't cry.
I took Clara to the zoo.
We spent hours looking at giraffes and elephants. We ate sticky cotton candy and rode the carousel.
In the afternoon, my phone rang. It was Alex.
"Hi," he said. His voice was quiet.
"Hi, Alex."
"I just... I knew what day it was. I wanted to make sure you were okay."
I looked at Clara, who was aggressively pointing at a sleeping lion.
"I'm at the zoo," I said.
A short pause. Then, a soft exhale. "Good. That's good, Lucy."
"Are you okay?" I asked. It was the first time I had ever asked him that on this day.
"I will be," he said. "Have fun with Clara."
I hung up.
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It was the most honest, decent conversation we had ever had. We were entirely separated. The wound had finally scarred over.
We were just two people who shared a child, moving forward on parallel tracks.
