His words cut deep, reopening the wounds that had never fully healed. For five years, he had abandoned our son and me over and over for Lucy.
On Keenan’s birthday, when he was waiting for his father to show up, Gilbert was with her. When Keenan fell sick and had to be hospitalized, Gilbert was nowhere to be found—again, with Lucy. And even during our son’s final days, as he lay weakening in front of me, Gilbert was still with her. He had finally promised to take us to the zoo, the one wish Keenan had left and yet he broke that promise, too.
I watched my son wait all day, from dawn to dusk, watching his eyes slowly lose hope until they were completely empty. The memory of his last breath in my arms haunted me. The agony felt like a thousand needles stabbing my chest, suffocating me. And now, Gilbert was standing in front of me, offering excuses.
I met his eyes, my voice cold and distant. "From now on, whatever happens in your life has nothing to do with me. I won’t care anymore."
I grabbed my suitcase, ready to leave this miserable chapter behind. But for a moment, panic flickered across Gilbert's face. He grabbed my arm instinctively, his voice trying to sound calm, though I could hear the desperation beneath it.
"Lily, stop making trouble. I didn’t mean to break the appointment that day. How about this: if Keenan wants to go to the zoo in a few days, I’ll arrange for it."
My heart hardened even further. He didn’t even know. Keenan had been dead for days and Gilbert was still acting like everything could be fixed with empty promises. He hadn’t cared enough to ask how Keenan was doing, hadn’t even been around to see what happened.
I slowly pried his fingers off me, my voice steady. "No need."
For the first time, Gilbert seemed genuinely shocked. He had never seen me so indifferent, so final. He could sense something slipping away, something he had never thought possible—my complete detachment from him. His instinct to control kicked in and he made a move to follow me, to stop me.
But then Lucy, as always, stepped in. She latched onto his arm, her voice dripping with contempt. "Gilbert, you’ve done enough for them. She’s always using some trick to get your attention, making the child pretend to be sick every few days. It’s pathetic."