Chapter 25 - The Meeting
Callum was nine when he finally asked to see Ambrose.
Almost two years after barbecue.
Why?
“Want him to see Maple.”
The therapy dog.
Dr. Bell smiled.
“Why?”
“Because dogs not lesson.”
Interesting.
A therapeutic meeting was arranged at clinic garden.
Ambrose arrived alone.
Older.
Probation finished? Near end perhaps. Home confinement long done, probation still.
Callum held Scout.
Maple lay beside handler.
Ambrose stopped.
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
Silence.
Then Callum:
“This Maple.”
“She’s beautiful.”
“Don’t say brave.”
Ambrose blinked.
“What?”
“If I pet.”
He understood.
“Okay.”
Callum sat three feet from Maple.
Dog wagged tail.
He touched her back once.
Then withdrew.
Ambrose said nothing.
Callum looked at him.
“See?”
“Yes.”
“I can stop.”
“Yes.”
“You didn't let.”
“No.”
“Why?”
Ambrose breathed.
“Because I thought stopping meant fear won.”
Callum frowned.
“Fear not person.”
Ambrose almost smiled.
“No.”
Then:
“Sometimes stop then try later.”
“Yes.”
Callum looked at Dr. Bell as if adults were terribly slow.
Then:
“Daddy did fear lessons?”
Ambrose looked toward Rafferty, who observed nearby.
“Yes.”
“Did he like?”
“No.”
Finally.
No:
He became strong.
Just no.
Callum nodded.
Then:
“Do you say sorry Daddy?”
“I have.”
Rafferty had received a private apology months earlier.
No need stage.
Then Callum asked:
“You still have cage?”
“Yes. Ranger uses it with door open sometimes.”
“Lock?”
“No.”
“What happened?”
“I removed padlock.”
“Keys?”
“Police returned them after case. I gave them to your parents to dispose of.”
That had happened under supervision.
Callum looked at us.
I had kept them in evidence envelope until case closure.
Then asked him whether he cared.
He said:
“Trash.”
We recycled scrap metal where possible? Keys not recyclable easily. We disposed.
No ritual.
Then meeting ended.
Callum did not hug Ambrose.
He said:
“Bye Grandpa.”
Ambrose:
“Bye.”
May you like
Enough.
No one forced more because apology had been good.
