Chapter 6 - ETHAN HAD BEEN THE ONLY PERSON FEEDING HER CONSISTENTLYThis chapter was the hardest for me.
Ethan had discovered Sophie on her second night in our house.
He heard crying through the pantry.
Claire told him:
“A little girl needs to hide because bad people are looking for her.”
Partly true.
Then:
“You cannot tell Dad.”
False necessity.
Ethan asked why.
Claire said:
“Because Daddy might send her away.”
That made me furious.
My son believed he had to choose between honesty with me and protecting a frightened child.
So he created his own solution.
Food.
Bread.
Apples.
Crackers.
Water.
Sophie said Claire fed her twice daily.
But irregularly.
Sometimes Claire skipped morning food because Douglas arrived unexpectedly.
Ethan noticed.
So he shared.
He was seven.
That should never have been his job.
When I thanked him, I caught myself.
“You helped Sophie.”
He nodded.
“But you should not have had to.”
“Was it bad?”
“No.”
“Mom said secrets keep people safe.”
“Sometimes private information can keep people safe.”
He looked confused.
“But adults should not ask children to hide someone living in a wall.”
He thought.
“That’s a weird rule.”
“Very weird.”
We both laughed.
Needed.
Then he asked:
“Is Sophie really my sister?”
“Yes.”
His face lit up.
Then immediately:
“Does she get my room?”
May you like
Perfect.
Children return to practical concerns.
