Chapter 12
The stranger in the elevator became less strange to Finnian.
That happened unexpectedly.
Cassian arrived at the estate one afternoon while Adela and Finnian were leaving.
The boy froze.
Cassian stopped.
Good.
No approach.
Finnian whispered:
“That’s him.”
Adela took his hand.
Cassian looked at me.
“What do I do?”
For once, he asked.
I crouched beside Finnian.
“Do you want to meet him?”
Long pause.
“No.”
“Okay.”
Cassian nodded.
Walked away.
That mattered.
Two weeks later Finnian asked:
“Why he leave?”
“Because you said no.”
He looked surprised.
“Really?”
“Yes.”
Another week.
“Can meet now?”
Children test boundaries partly to see if they remain when reversed.
We arranged it in the garden.
Cassian kept distance.
Finnian stared at the black enamel carnation on his lapel.
“You still wear flower.”
Cassian looked at me.
I rolled my eyes.
“Apparently.”
Finnian asked:
“Why you kiss Coralie?”
I nearly choked.
Cassian deserved this.
He answered:
“Because I wanted to.”
Finnian frowned.
“But Truman marry.”
“Yes.”
“That mean.”
Cassian nodded.
“Yes.”
No defense.
Good.
“Are you bad?”
Cassian glanced at me.
I smiled.
His problem.
He thought carefully.
“I’ve done bad things.”
Finnian accepted that faster than adults.
Then:
“Do you stutter?”
Cassian blinked.
“No.”
“Lucky.”
That hit harder than anything.
Cassian said:
“Probably.”
Meeting ended ten minutes later.
No dramatic reconciliation.
But the mysterious man became a human being.
That reduced fear.
Important.
May you like
Children fill unknowns with whatever adults leave around them.
Better to give truth in manageable pieces.
