00:00At my father's funeral, people whispered over his coffin. They looked at it the way people look at
00:04scandal, not grief. My mother defended him at first, weakly, and then she stopped. She sat
00:09beside the casket with both hands clenched in her lap and stared at nothing. Then the Hale family
00:14came in person. Gordon Hale brought a thick envelope and spoke in a low, sorrowful voice
00:18that made the accusation feel permanent. I don't care why Thomas went to the warehouse.
00:22I still believe he was a decent man at heart. Poverty corners people.
00:26It was generosity built on humiliation. By sounding forgiving, he locked in the idea
00:31that my father needed forgiveness. My mother took the money. I still remember the change
00:36in her face when she did it. Her mouth tightened. Her eyes went distant. She looked furious and
00:41ashamed at the same time. Then Simon crouched in front of me. He held out sparklers like
00:45he was offering candy. Anytime you want fireworks, come find me. We've got plenty.
00:49Something in me broke so violently I screamed. The whole chapel went silent. My mother grabbed
00:54me and pressed my face against her clothes while I came apart in her arms.
00:57I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. She was apologizing to them while she held me.
01:01Later after everyone left, and the room turned cold and still. I stared at the gray flowers
01:05beside my father's coffin. After that I stopped loving fireworks.
01:09I lifted my eyes to Daniel. They were too beautiful to trust.
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