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“I told you. He’s a good guy.”
Eddie smiled. “He reminds me of your father.”
“Which one?” Chase asked. “I have two.” He met Eddie’s eyes, letting him know what he meant.
“I love you, son!” Eddie said and the two of them embraced.
* * *
Della walked into the chapel. Her father sat in the first row. The lights were out, except for some flickering candles. She wiped the tears from her eyes.
She saw him look over his shoulder. Her chest swelled with emotion, but she forced herself to go and sit down beside him.
He had his head down, his hands folded. “I am a terrible person,” he said.
More tears came. “No, you’re not. You saw some terrible things a long time ago and I reminded you of it all over again.”
He still didn’t look at her. “I’m the one who told the police that you might have killed Mr. and Mrs. Chi.”
“I know,” she said.
He looked at her. “You knew?”
“Yeah,” she said. “And it’s because of me that you were arrested for murder. I’m the one who had the file pulled so I could find out … about Feng and Bao Yu.”
“Yes, but Mr. James tells me you never thought I did it. Even when he got the file with my confession. You believed in me, and I turned you in.”
She felt another wave of emotion fill her. “It’s different,” she said. “I didn’t witness something terrible that gave me doubt.”
“Yes, you did.” Tears filled his eyes. “You witnessed me these last nine months. I treated you so badly. How can you forgive me?”
She reached over and took his hand in hers. “Because that was nine months, and you treated me so wonderfully for over seventeen years.”
He wrapped his arms around her and there, in the small hospital chapel, she got her daddy back.
After a few minutes, Della felt the temperature go down in the dark room. She looked around, almost afraid of what her aunt might do if she still didn’t believe.
“You didn’t kill your sister,” she told him and hoped Bao Yu would hear as well.
“I pulled the knife out,” he said, and his voice shook a little. “I might have killed her. She was trying to do it and I just … It looked like it was hurting her.” He cupped his hand over his eyes and the sad sound of her father’s cries filled the small dark room.
I was already dying, Bao Yu said. I’d seen the light already. He was trying to help me. I wanted it out. It’s not his fault. Her gaze met Della’s. I finally remembered. Thanks to you.
Della stared at the altar and the cross and where her aunt stood. She smiled at Della. She had tears in her eyes and mouthed the words, Thank you.
“She was already dying,” Della said. “I’m sure you did that because she … because you thought it would help.” She squeezed his hand. “The man who came into your house, the really mean one, he was the one who killed her.”
Her father shook his head. “Mr. James told me that too.”
Della looked back at her aunt.
Bao Yu turned and looked over her shoulder, and Della almost gasped when the wall behind her aunt seemed to open up. Where the Sheetrock had been was now what looked like the most beautiful sunset she’d ever seen. Colors so brilliant, so … unlike any she’d ever seen. Bao Yu turned, and suddenly Mrs. Chi showed up. They both waved at Della, then walked away, and the colors slowly faded.
But the warm, soft feeling swelling in Della’s chest didn’t fade.
“Did you see that?” her father asked.
“See what?” Della asked, shocked.
