Chapter 14 - MY NIECE’S FIRST YEAR AT ALDEN
My niece struggled at Alden.
That was almost healthy.
She was bright.
Not a prodigy.
Math took effort.
Reading came easily.
Science bored her until experiments got messy.
She loved theater.
Absolutely loved it.
By winter, she had a speaking role in a second-grade play.
Three lines.
Melisande wanted private acting coaching.
Aaron said no.
The child agreed with him.
“I just want to do the play.”
Good.
Melisande attended.
Did not correct.
Did not coach from audience.
Did not tell relatives she was “the star.”
Afterward, my niece asked whether Ivo could come next time.
That became the first contact between the children after the scandal.
Public park.
Aaron.
Me.
No Melisande initially.
My niece gave Ivo a small envelope.
Inside:
The reading ribbon.
The art certificate.
The science stickers.
Everything she had found.
Ivo looked at them.
Then at her.
“Why did you have them?”
“Mom said we shared.”
He thought.
“I didn’t share.”
“I know.”
She started crying.
Ivo handed her the science stickers.
“You can have these.”
I almost intervened.
Then stopped.
His choice.
She shook her head.
“No.”
He insisted.
“I have more.”
That was not forgiveness ceremony.
Just two children trying to make an exchange that finally belonged to them.
She took one sticker.
May you like
Gave the rest back.
Perfect.
