“He called me immediately after it happened,” Ryan continued.
“He was terrified. He didn’t know what to do. So I drove to the scene as fast as I could. When I got there, you were unconscious. I called an ambulance. I stayed with you.”
“He made a terrible mistake.”
“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked, my voice shaking. “Why did you let me believe you were just some stranger who happened to be passing by?”
Ryan’s eyes filled with tears.
“Because I was scared. Scared that if you knew it was my uncle who hit you, you’d hate us both. Scared that you’d leave me.”
I looked at the man in the bed.
Cody was crying. His hands trembled.
“I’m so sorry,” he whispered. “I’ve wanted to apologize to you for five years. But I was too much of a coward.”
“Why did you let me believe you were just some stranger who happened to be passing by?”
“You destroyed my life,” I said softly.
