Chapter 9 - THE GIRL WHO ASKED THE HARDEST QUESTION
Ruby found Mateo sitting alone in the conservatory.
He was staring at Elias's old chair.
She approached quietly.
"Mr. Mateo?"
He looked up.
"Hello, Ruby."
She studied him.
"Are you sad?"
Mateo hesitated.
"Yes."
Ruby nodded.
"Mom says sadness is love with nowhere to go."
Mateo stared.
"Your mother says that?"
Ruby nodded.
"Sometimes."
He looked away.
"My brother died."
Ruby sat on the floor beside him.
"I'm sorry."
Mateo swallowed.
"Thank you."
She looked at the roses.
"Did he like flowers?"
"Very much."
"Did he name them?"
Mateo smiled faintly.
"Yes."
Ruby looked delighted.
"Then he was probably a very good person."
Mateo laughed softly.
"He was."
Ruby considered.
"Do you miss him?"
"Every day."
She nodded.
"Then maybe you should tell him."
Mateo frowned.
"What?"
"Tell him you miss him."
He looked at her.
Ruby pointed toward the roses.
"Mom talks to Grandma's picture sometimes."
Mateo swallowed.
"Does it help?"
Ruby shrugged.
"She says it does."
Mateo looked at Elias's chair.
For a long moment, he said nothing.
Then whispered:
"I miss you, little brother."
His voice broke.
Ruby stayed beside him.
She didn't try to fix it.
She didn't tell him not to cry.
She simply sat there.
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And Mateo realized that sometimes comfort was not about finding the right words.
Sometimes it was about someone being willing to stay.
