Chapter 12
Victor requested a visit with Leo and Mia.
Serafina refused.
Not permanently.
Not emotionally.
Legally.
The children’s therapist supported the decision.
Neither child was ready.
Victor responded through counsel with a letter.
He described himself as an old man whose discipline had been misunderstood by a softer generation.
He apologized for laughing.
He did not apologize for allowing Nolan to pin Leo down.
That distinction ended the conversation.
Leo read none of it.
Serafina did not show him.
At therapy, Leo was angry for different reasons.
Not at Nolan.
At himself.
“I said the thing about the audit.”
Serafina looked at him.
“What thing?”
“I told him you were going to catch him.”
“And?”
“If I didn’t say it, he wouldn’t have gotten mad.”
Serafina felt something twist inside her.
She sat beside him.
“Nolan’s anger belonged to Nolan.”
Leo stared at the floor.
“I knew it would bother him.”
“You are allowed to say something irritating without an adult pinning you to the ground.”
“What if I was trying to make him mad?”
“You were twelve.”
“I’m still twelve.”
“Yes.”
She held his eyes.
“And adults are still responsible for what adults do.”
Mia, sitting on the other side of the room, added:
“I pulled him.”
Leo looked at her.
“What?”
“I pulled Uncle Nolan’s arm.”
“So?”
“So maybe he pushed me because I did that.”
Serafina almost laughed from despair.
Two children.
Both finding ways to absorb adult guilt.
Dr. Camille Brooks stepped in.
“Let’s make a rule.”
The children looked at her.
“Adults do not get to outsource responsibility to kids.”
Mia frowned.
“What’s outsource?”
Serafina finally smiled.
“It means they don’t get to hand you their mistakes.”
Mia considered.
“Like homework?”
“Exactly.”
For the first time since the garden, both children laughed.
May you like
Serafina remembered the sound.
It felt important.
