Page 25 - TruthAboutLyingFinalAmazon18

Nicholas Boothman
The words punched him in the head. "I was trying to honor her memory."
"You were trying to make yourself feel better about the fact that you moved across the country and barely called her for the last five years of her life." Claire's eyes were wet now. "And I stood there listening to you rewrite history, and I realized: this is what you do. You make uncomfortable truths disappear. You did it professionally, and you did it personally, and I couldn't watch it anymore."
Henry sat very still. The cat jumped onto his lap, purring. He didn't move.
"You're right," he said finally. "About all of it."
"What?"
"You're right. I lied at the funeral. I lied to myself about Mom. I lied about why I stayed away from you. I told myself it was because you were judgmental, but really it was because you were the only person who wouldn't let me get away with my bullshit."
He looked up at her. "I'm sorry, Claire. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you when Mom was dying. I'm sorry I made you sit through that eulogy. I'm sorry I chose comfortable fiction over the uncomfortable truth."
Claire was crying openly. "Fuck you, Henry. You can't just apologize and make it okay."
"I know."
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