Chapter 26 - LILY’S DAUGHTER
Lily became a mother at thirty-three.
A daughter.
Clara.
At three, Clara loved fountains.
Of course.
Children are genetically designed to mock family symbolism.
At a park, she tried to climb into one.
Lily caught her.
“Feet stay out.”
“Why?”
“Because you’ll fall.”
“Mommy falls?”
Lily froze.
Only briefly.
“No. Grandma Emma fell once when someone pushed her.”
Clara frowned.
“Mean.”
“Yes.”
“Did you fall?”
“I was with her.”
“Were you scared?”
“Yes.”
“Then why fountain here?”
Lily smiled.
“Because this fountain didn’t do anything.”
Clara accepted that immediately.
Stone is stone.
People choose.
May you like
Simple.
Years of therapy condensed into a preschool answer.
