Chapter 7: The Encounter
The moment the plane touched down in New York, Justin’s stomach tightened. The city felt different now. It wasn’t the vibrant, buzzing metropolis he remembered, full of potential and excitement. It was heavy with consequence, and he could feel the weight of every choice he had ever made bearing down on him.
He had planned to head straight to the hospital where Lila worked. Something about her calm, empathetic nature had drawn him in. She was the daughter he hoped would listen, the one who might still care, despite everything. The others had their lives, their successes—Lila, from what he had seen on Facebook, seemed more grounded, more likely to give him a chance.
He navigated the subway, his mind racing with thoughts of what to say when he finally saw her. What did he want? Forgiveness? Redemption? Or was he just hoping for a glimpse of what his life could have been? He wasn’t sure. All he knew was that he needed to speak to her, to face one of his children, and finally say what he should have said years ago.
When he arrived at the hospital, he paused for a moment, standing outside the glass doors, gathering his thoughts. The reception area was filled with patients, doctors, and nurses, all moving in a blur of quiet efficiency. He walked up to the receptionist, his hands shaking slightly.
“I’m looking for Lila Wilson,” he said, his voice unsteady.
The receptionist smiled politely, typing something into the computer. “She’s on her break. Please have a seat,” she said, pointing to the row of chairs. Justin sat down, his mind spinning. He glanced around the waiting room, taking in the lives around him—people who had all moved on while he had stood still, locked in his past.
Minutes passed, stretching into what felt like hours. Then, finally, he saw her. Lila. She was walking toward him, her expression calm, composed, as though she was in control of everything. As she got closer, Justin’s breath caught in his throat. She was taller than he remembered, confident in her scrubs, and the resemblance to Lucy was unmistakable.
“Hi,” she said, her voice polite, but distant. “I’m Lila.”
Justin stood up, his heart pounding. “I’m… I’m Justin. Your father.”
The words felt foreign, almost impossible to say. There was a long pause before Lila spoke again.
“Do I know you?” she asked, her brow furrowed. There was no warmth in her voice—just curiosity and something else, something sharper.
“I—left,” Justin said, the words tumbling out. “A long time ago. I just wanted to… I don’t know what I wanted. I’m sick. I need surgery. I didn’t know who else to turn to.”
Lila’s eyes flickered with recognition, but there was no softness in her gaze. Just silence. And then, she asked the question that Justin had been dreading.
“Why are you here?”
Lila’s response cuts deeper than Justin could have imagined, and he begins to understand the weight of his abandonment.