Lucy stood in front of me, pale, her fingers clutching her purse strap as if the world depended on it not falling. \u201cWhat did you say?\u201d I asked. On the other end of the line, there was a silence heavy with the passage of years. \u201cDon\u2019t sign anything tomorrow, Patricia. Not until you know the whole truth.\u201d<\/p>\n
I laughed, but not because it was funny. I laughed the way a woman does when she\u2019s already cried too much. \u201cThe truth? You want to talk to me about truths now, Raul? Three months without answering my messages. Three months without seeing your daughters except for the occasional video call when you remembered to make one.\u201d \u201cThat\u2019s not how it was.\u201d \u201cThen how was it?\u201d<\/p>\n
Lucy looked down. And that\u2019s when I understood the worst part: she did<\/i> know. \u201cPatty\u2026\u201d she whispered. I raised my hand to stop her. \u201cRaul, if you have something to say, say it now.\u201d<\/p>\n
I heard a noise in the background. Like traffic. Like the city swallowing someone whole on a wet avenue. \u201cI\u2019m downstairs.\u201d<\/p>\n