“Where did you find that?” he asked.
Kelly looked toward him.
“It was in my jewelry pouch.”
Tom swallowed.
For several seconds, he didn't speak.
Then Diane looked toward him.
“Tom?”
He sat slowly.
I watched him carefully.
“You've seen it before.”
He nodded.
Kelly's expression changed.
“Dad?”
Tom rubbed both hands over his face.
“I remember that bracelet.”
The room became silent.
He continued.
“It was among your belongings after the hospital.”
Kelly stared.
“Did you know where it came from?”
He hesitated.
“No.”
Then he looked toward me.
“But I knew there had been a little girl at the accident.”
I felt cold.
“What little girl?”
Tom closed his eyes.
“Kelly kept asking about her when she first woke up.”
For a moment, nobody moved.
Then he continued.
“She was confused. Frightened. She kept saying there was a little girl in a car.”
Kelly's fingers tightened around the bracelet.
Diane looked stunned.
“Tom, you never told me that.”
He swallowed.
“I thought it was part of the confusion.”
I leaned forward.
“Did the hospital document it?”
“I don't know.”
I took a breath.
“Did anybody tell the police she might have helped another victim?”
Tom looked toward the floor.
“I told an officer she kept talking about a child.”
My heart pounded.
“And?”
He shook his head.
“He said the accident involved several vehicles. They'd need to match the accounts with the scene records.”
Kelly stared.
Then whispered, “Why didn't you tell me?”
Tom looked up.
His eyes were wet.
“Because every time we tried to discuss that night, you became distressed.”
She didn't answer.
He continued.
“And because the doctor said we shouldn't force you to remember.”
Kelly looked down.
“That doesn't mean I shouldn't know what you already knew.”
Tom's expression crumpled.
For several seconds, he said nothing.
Then nodded.
“You're right.”
Diane sat beside her daughter.
“Honey, we were so frightened of making things worse.”
Kelly looked toward her mother.
Tears gathered in her eyes.
“I understand that.”
Then her voice became firmer.
“But you can't protect me from my own life forever.”
Diane began crying.
Tom looked toward me.
For the first time, I saw the weight of three years sitting openly on his face.
“I thought if she could start fresh, the accident wouldn't have to follow her everywhere.”
I nodded slowly.
“I understand why you wanted that.”
He looked relieved.