Chapter 12 - MERRITT STANDS UP
Merritt asked to see Oren.
I said no initially.
Not punishment.
Oren refused.
Months later, Oren changed his mind.
Structured visit.
Dr. Morris present.
Merritt entered carrying nothing.
No toy.
No gift.
Good.
He sat.
Oren looked at him.
“You sat.”
Merritt nodded.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because I was wrong.”
“Why not help?”
Merritt swallowed.
“Because I thought your aunt had a right she did not have.”
Oren did not understand every word.
Then:
“You scared?”
Merritt thought.
“Yes.”
“Of Daddy?”
“No.”
“What?”
Merritt looked toward me.
Then at Oren.
“Of admitting the old rules were gone.”
My son considered this.
“Rules dumb.”
Merritt laughed through tears.
“Some were.”
Then Oren asked:
“Can we play cars?”
That was the meeting.
No forgiveness ceremony.
May you like
Cars.
Sometimes children offer adults a future without first giving them absolution.
