The honesty changed the room.
Not enough to heal it.
Enough to keep the questions coming.
"Did you know I was scared of thunderstorms?" Greta asked.
"No."
The honesty changed the room.
"Did you ever wonder if we looked like you?"
"No."
Amelia pulled one sleeve over her hand.
"Did you ever plan to come back before tonight?"
Katherine forced a dry swallow.
"Many times."
"But you didn't."
"No."
The girls asked until there were no easy questions left.
"But you didn't."
Katherine did not blame fear, poverty, my accident, or the wealthy man who later ruined her.
For once, she stayed inside the consequences of her own choices and listened.
***
Near midnight, she looked toward me.
"I thought I came here asking for money." Her palm rested on the closed book. "Instead, you showed me everything I can never buy back."
She stayed inside the consequences of her own choices.
