“You weren’t?”
I shook my head.
“No.”
His entire body went still.
Like something inside him had just cracked wide open.
“Then why would he say that?”
Because my father hated you.
Because he destroyed us.
Because he lied to both of us for years.
But all I could manage was:
“I don’t know.”
Hersh looked away first this time.
One rough hand dragged across his jaw slowly.
I could practically see the memories hitting him in real time.
Ten years ago.
A phone call.
Trying one last time.
And my father slammed the door in his face.
“You called,” I whispered before I could stop myself.
His eyes came back to mine immediately.
“Yeah.”
“After all that time…”
A sad smile touched his mouth briefly.
“Couldn’t help it.”
Oh God.
That one nearly broke me completely.
Because even after:
The silence
The unanswered letters
Believing I had moved on… he still called.
