Chapter 15
Camille saw Henry first.
His choice.
He was ten by then.
He asked me one evening:
“Is Aunt Camille still bad?”
I thought carefully.
“She did something bad.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
Children grow sharper.
“No.”
I answered honestly.
“I don’t think people are only one thing.”
“Can I see her?”
“Yes, if you want.”
He did.
Neutral garden.
Rafe nearby.
Camille arrived early.
Henry carried Bunny even though it belonged to Violet.
Interesting.
Maybe symbolic.
Maybe he simply stole it.
Siblings.
Camille saw the repaired ear.
Started crying.
Henry looked uncomfortable.
“Don’t cry.”
She laughed through tears.
“Sorry.”
Then he asked:
“Why did you cut it?”
No adult easing.
Straight.
Camille answered:
“Because I wanted you scared enough to tell me where Violet was.”
“Why?”
“Because she had something I wanted.”
“More than her?”
Camille closed her eyes.
“No.”
Henry frowned.
“But you acted like.”
There.
Children often understand moral math better than adults.
“Yes.”
She nodded.
“I acted like the card mattered more.”
He looked at the rabbit.
Then handed it to her.
I almost moved.
Stopped.
His choice.
Camille held it carefully.
Henry said:
“Don’t pull ear.”
“I won’t.”
She returned it immediately.
No hugging.
No dramatic reconciliation.
At the end Henry said:
“You can maybe see Violet.”
Not his decision.
I corrected gently.
“That’s Violet’s choice.”
He nodded.
“Right.”
May you like
Important.
Even protection can become control if we forget whose life we are protecting.
