“Your body belongs to you and you do not have to hug him if you do not want to,” I reassured her.
The visit went well and Patrick told her that he was sorry for making her feel like a ghost.
By the time the final court hearing arrived in April, Daisy was doing much better.
She stood in front of the judge and read a statement about how much she loved her new home.
“I want to stay with my grandpa because people here remember that I am in the room,” she said.
The judge granted me permanent guardianship and Patrick accepted the decision without a fight.
We celebrated her ninth birthday with a strawberry cake and a banner with her name on it.
We eventually created a new photo wall in my house that included the old pictures and many new ones.
“The story looks different now because that old picture is not the only one,” Daisy noted.
I realized that while I could not undo the past, I could provide a faithful presence for her future.
Justice was not just a court order, but the sound of a child asking for pancakes and knowing the answer would be yes.
I watched her sleep that night and knew that she was finally in a place where she belonged.
Everything was finally as it should be, and we were both going to be okay.
THE END.
