“You sold us that tree.”
“Yes.”
“You knew what it was for?”
“No.”
She covered her face.
For several moments, neither of us spoke.
Then she apologized.
She hadn’t known.
I believed her.
And for the first time, I realized that Avery’s family had been deceived too.
They had spent years grieving me.
I’d spent those same years believing they were ashamed of me.
Neither of us had known the truth.
Suzanne canceled the scholarship in my name.
She also asked whether I wanted the memorial tree removed.
I thought about that.
The dogwood was healthy.
It had been planted with genuine love, even if that love had been based on a terrible lie.
“Keep the tree,” I told her.
“But please remove the stone.”
She agreed.
Mitch eventually told Avery everything.
Their marriage went through a difficult period.
I didn’t involve myself in their arguments.
