Chapter 21 - Victoria finally says the right thing
It took my mother eighteen months.
Not one apology.
Several failed ones.
“I’m sorry the party became so awful.”
No.
“I’m sorry I didn’t react quickly enough.”
Closer.
“I’m sorry I tried to protect Arthur.”
Better.
Still incomplete.
Then a letter.
Clara,
Arthur slapped Gigi.
I saw it.
There.
I did not go to her.
There.
I stepped in front of Arthur because my instinct was to prevent you from confronting him.
There.
I told you that you were ruining my party while your daughter was crying from something my son had done.
There.
Then:
I have spent most of Arthur’s life believing that if I can calm the person he angers, I have solved the problem.
There.
I did that to you when you were children.
There.
I did it to employees.
There.
I did it at the party.
There.
The next line hurt.
I thought keeping the family together was my role. I did not understand that I was often keeping Arthur comfortable by asking everyone else to absorb him.
There.
Then:
When you kicked me, I focused on what you did because it allowed me not to look at what I had done immediately before.
Accuracy.
Finally.
She wrote:
I love Gigi. I understand that love is not proof I am entitled to see her.
There.
I cried.
Not because I had forgiven her.
Because for the first time my mother had stopped making love a defense.
I replied:
I received your letter. Thank you for describing your actions accurately. I am willing to discuss a therapist-guided meeting without Gigi first.
May you like
Small door.
Not all doors.
