Chapter 18 - ROSE’S EMAIL
Rose had met me once.
An older woman with bright scarves who visited Noah and brought terrible sugar cookies.
Do not interfere. Watch whether Emma needs him to choose her, or whether she simply makes room for him to be himself.
Staff should not become emotional substitutes.
Everyone is a substitute for something after loss. That is not automatically dangerous.
If Emma ever starts acting like Lydia, remove her.
Eleanor said, “Keep reading.”
But if she never tries to replace Lydia, leave the child alone.
Eleanor folded the paper. “I ignored the second part.”
“Yes.”
“I saw replacement everywhere.”
“Because you were afraid of being replaced too.”
I ran. “What happened?”
Noah pointed at his father. “Toast.”
Alexander looked offended. “The settings are aggressive.”
I stared. “Why is that framed?”
He looked embarrassed. “Noah wanted it.”
Noah said, “It’s the paper that didn’t happen.”
I crouched. “It did happen.”
“You didn’t go.”
“I changed my decision.”
He thought. “That can happen?”
“Yes.”
Adults in his world made decisions sound permanent because permanence looked powerful.
I touched the frame. “What do you want to do with this?”
“Keep it.”
“Why?”
“So I remember you told me.”
“Told you what?”
“That someday you go.”
“And that’s okay?”
Noah answered himself. “I don’t like it.”
“But you tell me first.”
I hugged him. “Always.”
Then he pulled away and said, “And Dad stays more.”
Alexander looked at the burned toast. “I’m trying.”
May you like
Noah nodded. “I know.”
That might have been the most important sentence anyone said all year.
