Chapter 27
The eve of Lily's high school graduation was quiet and profoundly reflective. The house was spotless, ready to host our extended family and friends for the celebration the following afternoon. I sat alone on the back patio, nursing a glass of bourbon, watching the fireflies dance across the dark lawn. My mind wandered back through the terrifying, beautiful journey of the past three years.
I thought about Victoria, sitting in a federal prison cell, completely stripped of her power and arrogance. She had tried to ruthlessly tear this family apart to feed her own monstrous ego. She had desperately wanted to erase Elena's memory and completely replace Lily. But in the end, her profound cruelty was the very catalyst that forced me to wake up. Her evil actions became the exact reason I learned to fiercely protect my daughter, to never ignore her pain again, and to cherish every single moment we had together.
The sliding glass door opened, and Lily stepped out onto the patio, wearing her oversized pajamas and holding two mugs of hot chamomile tea. She handed one to me and sat quietly in the adjacent wicker chair, pulling her knees to her chest just like she used to when she was small.
"Are you ready for tomorrow?" I asked gently, taking a sip of the warm tea.
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"I'm ready," Lily nodded, looking out at the dark trees. "It feels surreal. Sometimes I look back at how things used to be, and it feels like a terrible movie that happened to someone else. It's hard to believe we actually made it."
"We made it because we never gave up on each other," I smiled, reaching over to squeeze her hand. "Tomorrow is going to be the absolute best day."
