Chapter 9 - Every Day
He started saying it that night.
Amelia was in bed. He knocked on the frame.
"Can I come in?"
She shrugged.
He sat on the edge of the bed. He didn't have a speech this time. He had driven home from Federal Boulevard with the window down and the radio off, and he had decided he was done giving speeches.
"It wasn't your fault," he said.
She didn't answer.
"I'm going to keep saying it," he said. "Every night. You don't have to believe me. You don't have to say anything back. I'm just going to keep saying it."
She turned her face toward the wall.
He sat there for a minute. Then he got up and left.
The next night he said it again.
The night after that, he said it again.
On the fourth night, she said, "You already said that."
"I know."
"You don't have to keep saying it."
"I'm going to anyway."
"Fine."
On the eleventh night, she said, "Dad."
"Yeah."
"Can you leave the door open?"
May you like
He left the door open.
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