Chapter 5 - SAGE ASKED WHY EVERYONE LAUGHEDThat night, Sage slept in Ashcombe Manor.
Not because Gideon had automatically won custody.
He hadn’t.
Temporary guardianship had already been arranged through court after Leah’s death and DNA confirmation.
Gideon was allowed emergency residential care pending a fuller hearing.
Process.
Good.
Sage lay in the guest room near Gideon’s.
Then asked:
“Why did they laugh?”
He sat on the edge of the chair.
Not her bed.
She still barely knew him.
“I don’t know exactly.”
“They thought I was poor.”
He paused.
“Some probably did.”
“Am I?”
Hard question.
Before Leah died, yes.
They had struggled.
Rent overdue twice.
Medical bills.
Secondhand clothes.
Gideon said:
“You didn’t have much money.”
Sage looked down.
“So they laughed because I didn’t belong.”
“No.”
He leaned forward.
“They laughed because they made a bad choice.”
She looked at him.
“Do I belong now because you’re my dad?”
That question stopped him.
“No.”
Sage frowned.
He explained:
“You belonged in that room because you were invited and because you’re a person who deserved to be treated decently.”
Then:
“Being my daughter doesn’t make pouring juice on you more wrong.”
She thought.
“So if I wasn’t?”
“Still wrong.”
Good.
That mattered.
Then Sage whispered:
“Mom said rich people sometimes act scared around other rich people.”
Gideon almost smiled.
“Your mom was observant.”
“She said scared people can be mean.”
“Also true.”
Sage looked at him.
“Are you scared?”
“Yes.”
That surprised her.
“Of what?”
“Getting this wrong.”
She reached toward him.
Not a hug.
Just her hand.
May you like
He took it.
That was enough.
