Chapter 6 - MY CONDITIONS
“If I go into Finn’s room,” Victor said, “I remember every night Elena told me he needed me more.”
“So you stay outside.”
“Yes.”
“And call that protection.”
His eyes lowered.
“Yes.”
“That isn’t protection.”
“I know.”
“You know now.”
He nodded.
Then:
“What I said to you was cruel.”
“Yes.”
“I knew exactly what would hurt.”
“Yes.”
“I’m sorry.”
I believed him.
That did not fix it.
“I accept that you mean the apology.”
His face tightened.
“That is not forgiveness.”
“No.”
“Fair.”
“And I’m leaving.”
Victor went completely still.
“When?”
“Not tonight.”
Relief flashed across his face.
I stopped it.
“Finn expects me here when he wakes.”
“Yes.”
“I won’t disappear on him. But I can’t stay in this job as it is.”
“What do you want?”
For fourteen months, I had wanted Victor to ask.
“I want Finn to have a child therapist.”
He started to speak.
I raised a hand.
“No.”
He stopped.
“You don’t get to say he needs to get over it anymore.”
His jaw tightened.
Then relaxed.
“Do you agree?”
“Yes.”
“I want you participating.”
“In therapy?”
“In his life.”
“I am.”
“No.”
That hurt him.
“You finance him.”
Silence.
“You hire people.”
Silence.
“You install security.”
Silence.
“You love him from hallways.”
Victor looked down.
“That isn’t the same thing as letting him know you.”
“No.”
“I want predictable hours.”
“For you?”
“For Finn.”
“No calls asking me to stay because you suddenly decide business matters more.”
“Agreed.”
“No using me as replacement parent when convenient and staff when my importance scares you.”
“Agreed.”
“And I want Elena’s letter.”
Victor looked confused.
“What letter?”
I placed the envelope on the table.
His face went white.
“Where did Finn get that?”
“Your closet.”
“He found the box.”
“Yes.”
“I should have moved it.”
“No.”
I shook my head.
“You should have opened it with him.”
Victor stared.
“Finn is not the keeper of Elena’s grief.”
Then slowly:
“You’re right.”
Possibly the hardest sentence Victor Rossi had ever spoken.
May you like
The next morning, he would have to say something even harder.
He would have to tell his son he had been wrong.
