In the morning and all throughout the day, Elodie never said a word about what she had found in the attic. What she had learned about her father's thoughts from his diary. She didn't even tell her best friend Adelaide.
After she came home from school, she did her homework and then worked on her senior project a little. She made quite a bit of progress on the model brain. A few more touches and then it will be ready for paint.
Even during dinner, she said nothing to her moms, who are still just living together as best friends and co-parents.
At bedtime, Elodie brushed her teeth, got dressed and said goodnight to her moms before snuggling under the warmth of her covers to read another entry from her father's diary.
She flipped open to page three. This is what was written.
I met with a lawyer today. I feel guilty about only filing for full custody of Quinten and Finlee. I know it's wrong, but Elodie hates me. Even if I win custody, and that's a big if, she would never go with me.
If by some miracle I win custody, it would be best for Elodie to remain with her mother.
No matter where she lives, I will always be her father. I will be available to her whenever she decides that she wants to see me, but it has to be her decision. I can't force it on her.
On the other side of things, Addison is growing closer to Meredith. I'm glad that they have each other to lean on. That they're building this friendship. Despite how Addison feels about me, I don't hate her.
Legally, right now, she is still my wife. I love her, and I'll still love her when we're divorced. I think a part of me will always love her, and I can never explain why I would cheat on her. But one thing is for sure, I'm sorry and I would take it back if I could. Too much damage has been done though. Addison will never forgive me. Neither will Elodie. It's my fault. My mess. My life. No one can help me. I'm all alone.
Taking in a breath, Elodie feels her heart breaking. She knows it's not her fault. It wasn't her job to manage her father. She was just a little girl back then. However, she can't help but feel that if she were kinder to him, or if she had given him more of a chance, then he wouldn't be dead.
That wasn't reality though.
Elodie isn't knowledgeable enough about life and the effects of depression to know that there was probably nothing she could have done to prevent her father's suicide, but any psychologist could tell from the pages that he was a very depressed man. Without getting help, it would have only been a matter of time before he killed himself.
Hope you enjoy. Comments are greatly appreciated.
What would you like to see happen next?