Lily studied the card for a long time. She crossed out the line wishing him and Vanessa a happy marriage, then wrote a new one beneath it. She did not show me the words until she was finished.
I hope you find people you can trust.
We sent it through Natalie. A few days later Graham mailed a brief note thanking Lily for her kindness and saying he hoped she would keep making videos. There was no attempt to turn what happened into a special bond she had to maintain. She put the note beside her paper buildings and went out to play.
On the first morning of her next school break, Lily asked if we could visit the public garden near our apartment. Rain had kept us inside for days. We took sandwiches and found a bench while the paths were still damp.
Elle avait l’appareil photo avec elle. Natalie nous avait dit qu’on pouvait le garder jusqu’à son prochain passage en ville, et Lily voulait filmer les abeilles sur les fleurs tardives. Elle a filmé quelques secondes, s’est arrêtée et m’a montré l’écran.
« On les voit mieux de là-bas », dit-elle.
Je l’ai suivie de l’autre côté du lit. Elle a ajusté la dragonne autour de son poignet avant de reprendre la caméra. Puis elle me l’a tendue pour que je puisse regarder avec elle.
