His Knees, His Pleas, But Our Son's in Peace

Chapter

6

I had told him so many times about Oliver's illness, but he never cared. Every time Oliver needed his dad during chemo, Nathan was with Sienna. Even the camping trip, he only agreed to after I got on my knees and begged him. I did everything I could to make him see how little time Oliver had left, but he refused to believe it. Nathan's voice softened, a tinge of regret creeping in. "If only you could've made me believe..." "Made you believe?" I asked, my voice trembling with frustration. "What more could I have done?" Nathan fell silent.

I thought of Oliver, in pain, begging me to call his dad. I remembered how, even then, Nathan stayed silent when Oliver pleaded, "Daddy, can you just stay with me for a little while?" Now, finally, Nathan showed a flicker of regret. "I thought after your mum died, you got a taste for manipulating me. I thought you used Oliver's illness to trick me into coming home." In his eyes, all I ever did was beg and deceive.

When my mum was dying, she noticed how often Nathan was gone,

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His Knees, His Pleas. But Our Son's in Peare

Chapter 6

him, pleading for him to come back and be with me. Over time, he grew tired of it. From that point on,

he couldn't believe

"Oliver was fine before."

wave of sorrow hit me harder. "Before?"

long has it been since you

course, he

for him, "Two years and

since you've seen

to argue with that. His

sank in.

a flicker of guilt appeared in his eyes. He reached out, trying to wipe my tears. "Doris,

back,

everything? Our son, Oliver, was gone forever.

now, I don't think he'd forgive you,"