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Back The Camera Never Lies Save as PDF
Chapters (54)
  1. Cover
  2. Epigraph
  3. One
  4. Two
  5. Three
  6. Four
  7. Five
  8. Six
  9. Seven
  10. Eight
  11. Nine
  12. Ten
  13. Eleven
  14. Twelve
  15. Thirteen
  16. Fourteen
  17. Fifteen
  18. Sixteen
  19. Seventeen
  20. Eighteen
  21. Nineteen
  22. Twenty
  23. Twenty-One
  24. Twenty-Two
  25. Twenty-Three
  26. Twenty-Four
  27. Twenty-Five
  28. Twenty-Six
  29. Twenty-Seven
  30. Twenty-Eight
  31. Twenty-Nine
  32. Thirty
  33. Thirty-One
  34. Thirty-Two
  35. Thirty-Three
  36. Thirty-Four
  37. Thirty-Five
  38. Thirty-Six
  39. Thirty-Seven
  40. Thirty-Eight
  41. Thirty-Nine
  42. Forty
  43. Forty-One
  44. Forty-Two
  45. Forty-Three
  46. Forty-Four
  47. Forty-Five
  48. Epilogue
  49. A Note from the Author
  50. Discussion Questions
  51. Acknowledgments
  52. About the Author
  53. Acclaim for David Rawlings
  54. Also by David Rawlings

He thumbed in the combination for Gramps’s briefcase and pulled out the photo album. The secrets of others flicked through his fingers. The stiff pages groaned as he saw the photos in a different light. These weren’t the wrong moments to take a photo; they were the right ones. He flicked further. The photo of him and Kelly at Milly’s party was in full color. Milly at her party, the tears glistening. In full color.

He picked up the camera and brushed his finger across the inscription. The camera never lies. If he couldn’t get rid of it—and the camera would never lie—he had no choice.

Daniel placed the photo album back in the briefcase and reached for the words his grandfather left for him. As he read Gramps’s letter, the last words took on a different meaning.

I know you’ve got great insights into other people, but I worry for your family, Daniel. When I’ve raised this before, you’ve always shifted the conversation.

In that moment, Daniel appreciated the reason Gramps had given the camera to him and not to his mother. This was the only way to get through to him. He wished Gramps were alive so he could at least tell him why he had shifted the conversation. It wasn’t because he thought he knew better; it was because of the shame of having his hero know his flaws. He didn’t want to be less than perfect in his grandfather’s eyes. But Gramps had seen so much more than Daniel ever imagined, and that was worse. He had presented a successful facade to Gramps so he would think him a success, but with his insight, he could see just how much of a fake Daniel was.

If only he’d listened.

Would Milly be happier? Would Kelly? Would they even have their dream house? Probably not, but they would have something even more valuable.

Forgive an old man for advising the counselor, but I can see where your hearts are and where you’re headed. Based on your current trajectory, I’m not sure you’ll last.

So the whole time Gramps could see what their problem was, but Daniel was too proud to accept his help.

Daniel scanned the rest of the letter.

I can help. I’m leaving you this gift I wish I had in my younger days, when choices in front of me were easier and would have saved so much pain . . . Please use it wisely; it has freed me from so much and taught me there’s always more to life than what we see.

He knew what he needed to do.

*  *  *

Daniel splayed his fingers on Simon’s counter, a deadweight bow in his shoulders, his heart heavy. A single, tiny film canister sat in front of him.