Chapter 14
Anna’s parents came back into our lives.
Laura and David.
I had kept distance after Anna died because grief made me selfish.
Vanessa had encouraged that distance.
“She’ll never be their real granddaughter if they keep comparing her to Anna,” she said.
I had believed that lie too.
Laura held Lily for an hour the first day.
Lily touched her necklace.
“Did Mommy wear this?”
Laura cried.
“Yes. She loved silver.”
David brought photo albums.
Lily looked at pictures of Anna laughing, cooking, holding newborn Lily.
“Mommy gave me trust?”
“Yes,” I said. “To help your future.”
“Vanessa wanted it?”
I swallowed.
“Yes.”
Lily frowned.
“That’s stealing.”
“Yes.”
She looked at Laura.
“Can trust help kids who are hungry?”
Laura’s eyes filled.
“It can, sweetheart.”
That question became the beginning.
We created the Anna Reed Child Safety Fund with part of the recovered money.
Food support.
Emergency legal help.
Therapy for children abused by caregivers.
Lily chose the first donation.
Snack baskets for shelters.
Mason helped pack them.
May you like
On each basket, Lily wrote:
Food is never punishment.
