“I’m thinking of all that and more. I’m thinking of Dad’s life story. I’m thinking of how he is losing that life by the minute. I am thinking of . . . us. How we’re half sisters.” She took a breath. “You know, when I first came home, Dad said he knew about betrayal and about forgiveness. I didn’t understand at the time. I thought he was talking about you and me, but he was talking about Mother. About how he betrayed her and she forgave him. Somehow he won back her trust. I want the same for us. I want to trust you again.”

Hallie nodded. “I want that, too, more than I can say. But the memory book isn’t about us.”

“Hallie, it’s always about us.” Colleen turned and walked outside to breathe.

It was Shane who saw her leave and followed her out. Colleen spun around to face him on the sidewalk, the river running behind them, and took him by the shoulders. “You must put that story back in, Shane. You must. It’s a choice between revealing Dad’s life or hiding it.” She paused and said, “Remember when we were talking about the interviews and you told me we don’t get to choose which memories to give back to him? It’s the same now.”

Shane placed his own hands on top of hers and smiled at her. “Are you talking about yourself or Dad’s memory book?”

Colleen didn’t have to ask him what he meant. She had chosen to live her life by omitting part of her story, the painful part. And what had that done for her? She stared at her brother and answered his question. “Both; for both of us.”

“I’ll put it back in, Lena. I will include the love story, but you have to include all of your story, too.”

“I’m trying, Shane. I am damn sure trying.”

•   •   •