“You invited Robert here?”

“Claire, let me explain.” “You invited Robert here?” “Yes.”

“You contacted him without telling me?”

“Yes.” “You let him pay for Lily’s trip?”

“I found the letters while looking for Lily’s birth certificate.”

“Only the breakfast and the beach equipment.” “That is not the point.” Tony lowered his voice. “I found the letters while looking for Lily’s birth certificate for the travel paperwork.” “You read them?” “I read the last one.”

“So you called him without asking me.”

I remembered that letter only as another argument. Tony remembered the sentence I had ignored. “Robert wrote that you should call whenever Lily was ready,” he said. “He left his number.” “So you called him without asking me.” “Yes.”

“And you told him where we were staying.”

“I told him about the trip. He offered to pay for something Lily would enjoy.”

“You brought him into our daughter’s last trip without telling me.”

“How did he arrange it?” “I gave him the hotel’s guest-services number. He called after I told him what Lily wanted to do and paid the vendors directly.” “You brought him into our daughter’s last trip without telling me.”

“I did not know if he was sincere.”

“Then why invite him?”

Tony looked toward the hotel.

“Robert wanted to come at the beginning of the trip.”

“Because Lily is running out of time.” The words stopped me. He continued carefully. “Robert wanted to come at the beginning of the trip. I told him no. I said you had to decide whether he ever met her.” “Yet he is here.” “He called last night. He said he could not bear the thought of losing the chance without at least asking you in person.”

“I kept thinking we were waiting for the perfect moment.”

“You still made the decision alone.” “I know.”

“You had no right.”

“I know.” “Then why?” His eyes filled.

He remained beside the patio table, making no attempt to approach us.

“Because I kept thinking we were waiting for the perfect moment when we might not have another one. I told him he could come to the hotel, but I promised nothing. No meeting. No introduction. Nothing unless you and Lily agreed.”

“You should have told me before he got on a plane.”

“Yes.” I looked back at Robert. He remained beside the patio table, making no attempt to approach us.

“I am furious with you.”

“Finding him may have been an act of love,” I said. “Bringing him here without asking me was not your decision to make.” Tony nodded. “You are right.” “I am furious with you.”

“You should be.”

Before I could answer, my daughter’s voice came from behind us.

Denise came through the doors behind her.

“Why are you whispering?”

She sat in a wheelchair near the entrance, still wearing her pajamas. A staff member stood beside her. Tony hurried over.

“You should be in bed.”

“I woke up, and everyone was gone.” Denise came through the doors behind her.

I was not ready to forgive Tony. I was not even ready to understand him.

“Lily called reception when she woke up,” she explained. “One of our staff members went upstairs and brought her down.” I looked toward the patio. Robert was still standing beside his table. I was not ready to forgive Tony. I was not even ready to understand him. But the decision in front of us was no longer about either of us. The choice belonged to Lily.

Lily studied the old photograph Tony had placed inside the envelope.

We took her upstairs and sat beside her bed. I explained that Adam’s father was downstairs. “Your biological grandfather,” I said. “His name is Robert.” Lily studied the old photograph Tony had placed inside the envelope. It showed Robert beside Adam when Adam was ten. Lily touched Adam’s face. “He has my eyes.”

“Does Robert want to meet me?”

“Yes,” I said. “Does Robert want to meet me?” “He does.”

“Do you want me to meet him?”

I forced myself to answer honestly. “I want you to choose.”

“I should have told your mom.”

She looked at Tony.

“Did you bring him here?”

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