Chapter 6
"Everything I became began with her faith.
"And everything I leave behind belongs to the future she wanted for you.
"Not to the man you married.
"Not to the people who flatter you.
"To you.
"Ellie, you are stronger than you know.
"You always have been.
"And if you ever doubt it, remember the little girl who climbed onto a horse after falling off three times and told me, 'Daddy, I'm not finished yet.'
"You're not finished now, either.
"Love always,
"Dad."
I read the letter twice.
Then a third time.
By the time I finished, tears had soaked the paper.
Grace wrapped her arms around me.
For the first time since my father's death, I cried without trying to remain composed.
Not because Caleb had betrayed me.
Not because my life had changed.
But because my father had loved me so completely that even in his final days, he had been thinking about how I would survive without him.
Three days later, Caleb appeared at our house.
It was nearly nine in the evening.
I was sitting in the nursery, folding tiny yellow blankets, when the security gate called.
"Mrs. Bennett, your husband is here."
I looked toward the window.
Rain streaked the glass.
Caleb had not lived in the house for nearly two months.
He had moved into a luxury apartment downtown, claiming he needed space to think.
Apparently, he had found Vanessa there.
"Please tell him he can speak to my attorney," I said.
A moment later, the guard returned to the line.
"Ma'am, he says it's urgent."
I hesitated.
Then I looked at Grace, who was staying with me.
She shook her head.
"You don't owe him a conversation."
She was right.
But I needed to hear one thing from him.
The truth.
I agreed to meet him in the front sitting room, with Grace nearby and security informed.
Caleb entered carrying a bouquet of white lilies.
My favorite flowers.
Or at least, flowers he believed were my favorite.
My favorite flowers were sunflowers.
Dad knew that.
Caleb never had.
"Eleanor."
He looked exhausted.
His expensive suit was wrinkled.
There were shadows beneath his eyes.
He placed the lilies on the table.
"You look beautiful."
I said nothing.
He cleared his throat.
"I know you're angry."
"Angry?"
"Listen, I made mistakes."
I stared at him.
"You brought another woman to my father's funeral."
He looked down.