Chapter 12
Jessamine saw Piers six months later.
Because Nerissa agreed.
Not because I arranged reconciliation.
Neutral garden.
Daylight.
No guests.
Jessamine stopped several feet away.
Piers hid behind Nerissa.
She did not move closer.
Good.
“I’m sorry.”
Piers looked at his mother.
Nerissa nodded.
Not permission to forgive.
Permission to listen.
Jessamine continued.
“I held your wrist.”
Piers looked down at his hand.
“I made you hit your mom.”
His face tightened.
“You said again.”
Jessamine broke.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She could have said angry.
Scared.
Confused.
Instead:
“Because I wanted your mom to obey me.”
Accurate.
Piers frowned.
“That’s bad.”
“Yes.”
Then he asked:
“You gonna do again?”
“No.”
“How know?”
Children ask the question adults avoid.
How can change be trusted?
Jessamine thought.
“Because I don’t get to control your mom’s job anymore.”
Good.
Concrete.
Then:
“And because I know now that being important doesn’t mean people have to be afraid of me.”
Piers considered.
Finally:
“Okay.”
Not forgiveness.
Just answer accepted.
He did not hug her.
May you like
Jessamine did not ask.
Progress.
