Chapter 25 - The First Meeting
Callum asked to see Ambrose near the end of year two.
Supervised.
Public park.
Ambrose looked older.
No luxury watch.
Not because symbolic poverty.
He simply wore casual clothes.
Callum stayed beside Rafferty.
Ambrose said:
“Hi.”
“Hi.”
“Can I shake your hand?”
Callum said:
“No.”
Ambrose nodded.
“Okay.”
They sat.
Callum asked the question adults feared.
“Why my name?”
“On keys?”
“Yes.”
“Because I bought those locks for what I called your training.”
“That’s creepy.”
Ambrose closed eyes briefly.
“Yes.”
“Did you think Dad said?”
“I used something Dad said as an excuse. He did not tell me to put you in a cage.”
Callum looked at Rafferty.
Rafferty did not jump in.
Good.
Then:
“Do you still think I’m scared wrong?”
Ambrose took time.
“No.”
“You hate scared.”
“I hate feeling scared.”
There.
Not children.
Himself.
“I spent my life thinking the way to beat fear was force.”
“Did it work?”
“Sometimes it made me stop showing it.”
Callum frowned.
“That not same.”
No.
It was not.
The meeting lasted thirty-five minutes.
No hug.
Ambrose left first.
Callum watched him.
Then asked:
“Can we get fries?”
Yes.
May you like
Healing is hungry work.
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