Chapter 20 - The Anniversary
A year after Vanessa had been thrown out of their lives, Lucas and Lily visited Grace’s grave. It was a bright, breezy afternoon, the kind of day Grace had always loved.
Lily was seven now, taller and infinitely more confident. She carried a large bouquet of vibrant yellow sunflowers, carefully arranging them against the polished granite headstone.
"I got an A on my spelling test, Mommy," Lily told the stone, sitting cross-legged on the grass. "And Daddy built me a treehouse. It has a yellow door. You would really like it."
Lucas stood behind her, his hands buried in his pockets, listening to his daughter speak to her mother with such casual, beautiful love. The crushing, paralyzing grief that had once defined these visits had slowly faded, replaced by a deep, abiding gratitude for the time they had shared.
He knelt down beside Lily, resting his hand on her shoulder.
"She would love the treehouse," Lucas agreed. "And she would be incredibly proud of you, Lily. Every single day."
"She'd be proud of you too, Daddy," Lily said, looking up at him with those clear, perceptive eyes. "You make really good pancakes now."
May you like
Lucas laughed, a sound that felt entirely free. "Only because you showed me how to stop burning the edges."
They sat in the quiet cemetery for an hour, sharing stories and watching the clouds drift across the blue sky. There was no lingering sadness in the Bennett family anymore. There was only the profound, beautiful strength of a family that had survived the storm.
