Chapter 16
Bianca returned to Bellafonte after four years.
Not to live.
Not for me.
Lucy asked.
That surprised everyone.
She was seven.
Old enough to remember more.
Young enough to ask bluntly.
“Why did Bianca do dog?”
I had explained before.
Now she wanted Bianca’s answer.
We arranged a meeting in the breakfast room.
Her choice.
I almost changed location.
Then stopped.
Lucy chose it.
Bianca entered slowly.
No engagement ring.
No jewelry beyond small earrings.
Lucy sat at the table.
Normal plate.
Arthur the spaniel ate nearby from his bowl.
I stayed by the door.
Emma was not there.
Lucy asked:
“Why?”
Bianca understood.
“Because you saw something your Uncle Marcus did.”
“And?”
“I wanted you to stop telling people.”
“So dog?”
Bianca’s eyes filled.
“Yes.”
Lucy frowned.
“Why not say stop?”
There it was.
The obvious question.
Bianca answered:
“Because I thought frightening you would work better.”
Lucy looked disgusted.
“It did.”
Bianca closed her eyes.
Truth.
For weeks Lucy stopped mentioning the map around adults.
The cruelty worked.
That was important.
Harmful behavior often survives because it works in the short term.
Then Lucy said:
“But Emma phone.”
“Yes.”
“Daddy come.”
“Yes.”
“And you gone.”
“Yes.”
Cause and consequence in a seven-year-old’s clean sequence.
Lucy looked at Arthur.
Then:
“Dogs good.”
Bianca started crying.
“Yes.”
“People eat table.”
“Yes.”
“Don’t do again.”
“I won’t.”
Lucy thought.
Then:
“Okay.”
Not I forgive you.
Not hug.
Okay.
Meeting over.
Bianca left fifteen minutes later.
Outside, she looked at me.
“I thought I needed her forgiveness.”
“And?”
“I needed her to know I understood.”
Better.
We shook hands.
Nothing romantic.
May you like
Nothing restored.
Enough.
