Through sniffles, Lily explained the video captured Charlie's first successful banner hold weeks earlier. His paws were lightly secured to steady him; her sternness prevented him from dropping it. She panicked when I found it, deleting it to safeguard the secret. "I practiced those words forever..." She pointed at the crooked "Happy Birthday" scrawl. "Wanted him to skateboard-jump with it..." I rose slowly, approaching her hunched form. Each step felt leaden.
A Belated Apology
I crouched before her, matching her gaze. "Lily..." My voice rasped hoarsely. "I'm sorry." The words lifted a weight from my chest. Licking dry lips, I struggled to continue. "I imagined... the worst... I didn't trust you... frightened you terribly..." My eyes flicked to the ruined door. "Sorry... truly... sorry..." My voice faded to a whisper, laden with regret. Lily lifted tear-filled eyes to mine, disbelief written across her face.
Lily's Distress
My apology unleashed fresh tears. She shook her head, words faltering. "No... not your fault... mine..." She wiped her eyes with her wrist. "I'm hopeless... couldn't teach him... Charlie learns slowly... I got impatient..." Her gaze fell on Charlie's bruises, remorse deepening. "Look at him... all sore... my doing..." She turned to Charlie guiltily. "Too rushed... yelled... scared him... never meant to..." Covering her face with her knees, her shoulders shook violently—a storm of pent-up stress, defeat, and the shock of my intrusion.
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