Chapter 17 - Bram Asks Cordelia Why
Two months passed before Bram asked to see her.
His therapist did not suggest it.
He did.
“Can I ask Grandma?”
“What?”
“Why she hide me.”
Elowen and I discussed.
Then agreed to a short supervised meeting in the therapist’s office.
Cordelia arrived without jewelry except her wedding band.
I noticed because she normally dressed as if any hallway might contain photographers.
Bram sat across from her.
No transfer.
No staging.
Wheelchair exactly where he put it.
He asked:
“Why didn’t you want my chair picture?”
Cordelia inhaled.
Then made her first mistake.
“I thought you’d be more comfortable—”
Bram interrupted.
“No.”
Six years old.
Uncomplicated.
“No?”
“I was comfortable family table.”
Cordelia’s face changed.
The therapist stayed silent.
Bram asked again.
“Why?”
This time Cordelia answered more truthfully.
“Because I cared too much about how the pictures looked.”
“More than me?”
No adult wants that question.
Cordelia deserved it.
“In that moment, yes.”
Elowen looked down.
I watched my mother absorb the sentence she had just spoken.
Bram nodded once.
Then:
“That was mean.”
“Yes.”
May you like
He did not hug her.
The meeting ended after twenty-three minutes.
