Without offering a reply, Hadley placed the phone beside her on the bed. He didn’t need words—he’d catch on.
Hadley shifted her gaze back to Joy and started in a calm, measured tone.
“Once, there lived a man who got really sick…” One hand lifted as she tapped her temple lightly, Hadley added, “Something dangerous had grown inside his head.”
The light in Joy’s eyes dimmed a little, her tiny shoulders stiffening.
“Did the doctors help him?”
“They did,” Hadley said, her head bobbing in a gentle nod.
“The doctors found what was wrong and removed it with surgery.”
“Did that make him okay again?” Joy asked, her voice hopeful but unsure.
“That’s right,” Hadley said, noticing how her daughter’s face had grown serious. There was such tenderness in that small, worried look.
A gentle breath escaped her lips before Hadley continued, “But something went a little wrong during the surgery… and afterward, he wasn’t quite the same anymore.”
“What do you mean?” Joy’s fingers curled into fists, her tiny frame tense with concern.
“It’s hard to explain,” Hadley said, choosing her words carefully.
“After they took out the dangerous thing, he forgot everything about himself.” She paused, then added, “Even the people he loved—his family, his friends—he couldn’t remember any of them.”
“No way…” Joy’s eyes grew even rounder, her lashes fluttering with every blink.
“That’s so sad.”
“It really is,” Hadley whispered. She gently took Joy’s small hand in hers.
“And one day, his daughter stood right in front of him, but he didn’t know who she was.”
“That’s because he got sick,” Joy said gently, her voice full of understanding.
“Exactly.” Hadley smiled and gave her nose a playful tap.
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“You are a clever girl.”
“Mom…” Joy’s brows drew together as she stared into the distance.
Something had clearly clicked in her mind.
Some truths, Hadley knew, were too heavy for a child to grasp without guidance.
“Joy,” Hadley said gently, her voice barely above a whisper.
“That man… he didn’t know who his daughter was because of his illness. Just like yesterday, when your dad—”
The moment she said it, she felt Joy flinch, her tiny frame trembling slightly in her arms.
Hadley didn’t speak further right away, letting the silence settle. Thankfully, Joy wasn’t reacting the way she had before. There was no burst of panic this time.
Hadley wrapped her arms around her daughter, slowly rubbing her back in soothing circles.
“Your dad didn’t do it on purpose, sweetheart. Like that man in the story, he forgot because he was sick. It wasn’t his choice to forget you.”
Joy’s lips began to tremble, and her eyes welled up, tears threatening to spill.
Hadley continued, “He came yesterday to talk to you, to say sorry, and to ask for another chance. Do you think you could give him that chance? Just this once, Joy?”
On the other end, Eric remained silent, every muscle tight with anticipation. He stayed completely still, waiting for his daughter’s answer like it was the only thing that mattered.
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