Chapter 26 - Behind the Tent
At nine, Bram asked to see the place where Cordelia had wanted him seated.
We were at Hartwell House for a summer barbecue.
I showed him.
Behind the large event lawn.
Near the service corridor.
It was not a dungeon.
Not dirty.
Not dangerous.
That almost made it worse in a different way.
A perfectly acceptable logistical area.
Just not where his family had been sitting.
Bram rolled there.
Looked around.
Then said:
“Could hear wedding from here.”
“Yes.”
“Couldn’t see table.”
“No.”
He stayed quiet.
Then:
“Grandma really thought this was okay?”
“At the time.”
“Why?”
“You know why.”
He nodded.
Then turned his chair around.
“Boring back here.”
We left.
That was all.
No dramatic crying.
No speech.
May you like
The place that had once represented exclusion became a boring patch of grass behind a tent.
Good.
