Chapter 20 - THE FIRST MEETING WITH TILDA
Eamon was fourteen when he asked to meet Tilda.
One meeting.
Counselor present.
I waited outside.
Later he told me the parts he wanted to share.
First question:
“Why did you take the medal off me instead of just asking?”
Tilda answered:
“Because I was panicking when I saw Dr. Hart coming.”
“You knew she was coming?”
“Yes.”
“You invited her.”
“Yes.”
“Then why panic?”
“I thought I could control what she knew.”
“Did you think I cheated?”
“No.”
“Then why tell people?”
“Because I needed your records to become unreliable.”
Eamon stared at her.
“That’s messed up.”
“Yes.”
“Did you hate me because Mom had money?”
“No.”
“Because Maisie needed money?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
Tilda said:
“I could not tolerate giving Maisie less than the maximum I imagined she could have.”
Eamon frowned.
“That doesn’t have anything to do with me.”
“No.”
Exactly.
He asked one more:
“Did you think taking my awards made her better?”
Tilda cried.
“At the time, I acted like it did.”
Then:
“I was wrong.”
The meeting lasted thirty-one minutes.
No hug.
May you like
Eamon did not schedule another for two years.
His choice.
