Chapter 20 - IONE AND OREN
Oren met Ione again at sixteen.
His choice.
No therapist necessary by then.
We met at Villa Halbrook’s garden.
She brought no place card.
No history book.
Just herself.
Oren was taller than her.
That changed the visual more than I expected.
“Hi, Aunt Ione.”
“Hello, Oren.”
Then:
“Do you remember?”
“Some.”
“What?”
“The napkins.”
Her face tightened.
“The food?”
“Not really.”
“The trash bin?”
“From stories.”
Then Oren said:
“I remember Dad being scary.”
I almost objected.
Then stopped.
True.
Ione looked at me.
“Your father was frightening.”
Oren smiled.
“Still.”
Then he asked:
“Why did you care so much?”
Ione answered:
“Because I thought if children did not obey our traditions, our family would disappear.”
“Did it?”
“No.”
“Then?”
“I was wrong.”
May you like
Simple.
That was all he needed.
