Chapter 15 - Helena Meets Livia’s Therapist
My mother asked to speak with Dr. Levin before talking to Livia about anything.
Good.
We did not want Grandma’s federal cooperation explained to a seven-year-old as if she were a junior prosecutor.
Dr. Levin asked:
“What does Livia currently believe?”
“She thinks I have a bad secret.”
“What does bad mean to her?”
Helena frowned.
“I don’t know.”
“Then start there.”
At home that evening, we did.
Livia sat at the kitchen island coloring a dragon purple.
Helena sat beside her.
“Your father says you asked about my secret.”
Livia did not look up.
“Camille said.”
“Yes.”
“Did you do crime?”
Direct.
Helena glanced at me.
I almost intervened.
Did not.
“When I was younger, I was part of a family business where some adults broke laws.”
Livia stopped coloring.
“You?”
“I signed some papers I should have asked more questions about.”
“Did police get you?”
“I spoke to lawyers and federal investigators and told them the truth about what I knew.”
“Did you go jail?”
“No.”
“Grandpa did.”
She knew that family fact in a simplified way.
“Yes.”
“Because you?”
Helena took a careful breath.
“Many people and many pieces of evidence were involved. I helped investigators understand some things.”
Livia’s face changed.
“Did Grandpa hate you?”
“He never knew.”
“That’s secret.”
“Yes.”
“Why Camille know?”
“Her father was my lawyer.”
Livia thought about that.
Then:
“Was Grandma helping police bad?”
Helena answered:
“Some people in our family would have thought so. I believe telling the truth was necessary because someone might have been hurt.”
That was enough.
Livia returned to the dragon.
“Okay.”
Helena blinked.
Children sometimes walk through moral crises adults spend decades decorating.
Then Livia asked:
“Did you slap anyone?”
I coughed.
My mother looked at me with open satisfaction.
“No.”
“Daddy did.”
“Yes.”
“Daddy got classes.”
“I know.”
Livia looked at me.
“Grandma smarter.”
My mother smiled.
May you like
I deserved it.
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