“You aren’t going to tell me, are you?”
“I’m not. I’m sorry, Kat,” she said, and I believed her.
“Will he be back?” I asked.
That night at the diner, I thought... Honestly, I didn’t know what I thought. Maybe we were getting to a place where we could be friends. But the way he looked at me. The anger in his eyes and the way he left without a word.
“I hope so,” she said with a sigh. “Jack and Gunner are going to go find him.”
“He blames me.”
“Blames you for what?”
“For what happened to Frankie.” I swiped a tear away. “It’s okay; I blame myself too,” I confessed.
“Oh, Kat, that wasn’t your fault.”
“I should have protected her. It was my responsibility to keep her safe.”
“I’m sure you did the best you could.”
“My best would have ensured it never happened. I never should have trusted him.”
“He was your husband, Kat. He should have been trustworthy; that isn’t on you.”
I looked over at her, tears slipping down my cheeks. “That’s not what the therapist said.”
Haizley’s eyes widened, and she asked, “What? Your therapist told you it was your fault?”
I nodded, unable to say it again.
“I need her name.”
“Why?”
“Because she needs to be reported. This was not your fault. The only person at fault was your ex-husband.”
“But I trusted him; that was my mistake.”
“Oh, Kat, no. His misuse of your trust is never your fault,” she insisted. “Have you been living with the idea that you could have prevented this?”
I didn’t answer. She was wrong; I could have prevented it. Ishouldhave prevented it.
“How old was Frankie?” Haizley asked. I hesitated to answer, but she pressed further. “How old was she, Kat?”
“Five.”
“Old enough to tell you what was happening. But she didn’t.” Haizley shrugged. “I guess she wanted it to happen.”
Before the words were fully out of her mouth, I jumped off the steps and slapped her across the face.
“Don’t you ever blame Frankie!” I snapped.
Haizley just stared at me. Then she smiled. “You’re right. Frankie wasn’t to blame. Even though she could have told youwhat was happening, she didn’t. Probably because he threatened her, or you.”
Haizley stood up and faced me, unafraid that I might hit her again. Her cheek was bright red, but I couldn’t find any sympathy.How dare she blame my daughter, a child!
“How were you supposed to know what was happening, Kat? Why would you have any reason to believe you couldn’t trust the man you loved? The man you had pledged your life to. Richard certainly wouldn’t tell you. And Frankie couldn’t tell you.”
