Chapter 9 - TERESA APOLOGIZED TO THE WRONG PERSON FIRST
Three years after the birthday incident, Teresa sent Diego an apology.
Not Sofía.
Diego returned it.
That shocked everyone.
He told her:
“You didn’t hurt me.”
“You hurt my daughter.”
Teresa finally entered therapy as one condition of any potential future contact with Sofía.
Months later, a new letter arrived.
Addressed correctly.
Dear Sofía,
I hit you because I believed being your grandmother gave me authority over your body. It did not.
I stopped reading.
Good beginning.
I treated Mateo’s wants as more important than yours because he is a boy. That was wrong.
Then:
I told myself I was teaching you respect. I was teaching you fear.
Sofía was nine.
I asked whether she wanted to read it.
“No.”
“Okay.”
At eleven, she changed her mind.
She read it alone.
Then came to me.
“Can I forgive Grandma?”
“Yes.”
“Do I have to see her?”
“No.”
“Can I do both?”
“Yes.”
Her shoulders relaxed.
We eventually arranged one supervised lunch.
Teresa arrived early.
She brought no belt.
No expensive gift.
Only the old birthday doll.
Restored.
Clean.
Still in its purple dress.
Sofía stared.
“I thought Mateo had it.”
“He did.”
Teresa looked ashamed.
“I should have made him give it back that day.”
“Yes.”
Children are efficient.
Teresa nodded.
“Yes.”
Then Sofía said:
“I forgive you.”
Teresa started crying.
“But you don’t get to punish me.”
“I know.”
“And if you ever say boys matter more again, I leave.”
Teresa nodded.
“Okay.”
Then Sofía picked up the doll.
Not because the object erased anything.
May you like
Because it had always been hers.
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