Chapter 16
Celeste saw Sadie again after fourteen months.
Sadie asked.
No one else.
They met in the estate garden.
Celeste stood several feet away.
Sadie ran toward her.
Then stopped.
Memory.
Not necessarily conscious.
She looked back at Maya.
Maya nodded.
Sadie continued.
Celeste crouched.
Did not reach.
Sadie decided.
Hug.
Short.
Then she immediately asked whether Celeste brought cookies.
Children maintain priorities.
Celeste laughed.
“Yes.”
Maya inspected the box.
Celeste waited.
No offense.
More progress than any speech.
Later, Sadie found one small candle on the patio table.
She picked it up.
Celeste visibly flinched.
Sadie noticed.
“Candle.”
“Yes.”
“Bad?”
Celeste swallowed.
“No.”
Sadie looked at Maya.
“Birthday?”
“No birthday.”
She shrugged and put it down.
Object reclaimed.
Again.
Celeste started crying.
Sadie looked confused.
“Why?”
Celeste wiped her face.
“I remembered something bad I did.”
Sadie thought.
“Don’t do again.”
“I won’t.”
Simple morality.
Hard adults.
Then Sadie ran toward the swings.
Celeste watched.
Maya stood beside her.
Neither woman touched.
But they stood close enough.
May you like
Not reconciliation.
Possibility.
