“Then close the chest again.”
“Promise me that.”
Noah whispered, “I promise.”
Ethan continued, “Some are stories.”
“Some are lessons.”
“Some are things your mom doesn’t know about me.”
“And one of them is just because I owe you an apology.”
I laughed again.
“I wanted to be part of your life even after I couldn’t be in it.”
He looked down for a moment.
When he looked back up, his eyes were wet.
“There are going to be days when you’re angry that I left.”
“I was angry too. I wanted more time.”
His voice cracked.
“I wanted to watch you grow up.”
“I wanted to teach you to drive.”
“I wanted to see your first heartbreak so I could tell you it gets better.”
“I wanted to embarrass you at graduation.”
