“You knew for eighteen months?”
Melissa looked toward the floor.
The room went silent.
“Where is Calvin?”
“He went home,” Dr. Foster said.
“Call him.”
“Dad—”
“Please, Melissa.”
Twenty-five minutes later, Calvin entered the room.
He stopped when he saw me.
I expected guilt.
What I saw was resignation.
“Ava told you,” he said.
“Not exactly.”
He nodded.
“I wondered when she might.”
“You knew I thought my daughter was dead.”
“Yes.”
“You stood in my kitchen. You came to Christmas dinner. You watched me put flowers on her grave.”
“Yes.”
Each answer made my chest tighter.
“Why?”
Calvin pulled a chair closer but did not sit until Melissa nodded.
“When Havenwood contacted me, I thought it was a mistake.”
“So you came here.”
“Yes.”
“And?”
“I saw her.”
“And you decided not to tell me.”
“No. I decided to tell you immediately.”
He looked at Melissa.
“She asked me not to.”
