Sofia’s Room
Chapter 13 - Sofia’s Room
That night, Sofia refused to sleep.
Clara found her sitting on the floor of her bedroom with a blanket around her shoulders and three stuffed animals arranged like a jury. The pink cardigan was folded beside her. Her face looked smaller without the courage she had worn in the foyer.
“Can I come in?” Clara asked.
Sofia nodded.
Clara sat on the floor because beds made adult conversations feel too official.
“Are you worried Victor will come back?”
Sofia nodded again.
“He won’t tonight.”
“But later?”
Clara took a breath. Honest, not easy. “We will make sure he cannot hurt this family again.”
Sofia looked at her hands. “I should have yelled when I saw him move it.”
“No.”
“But Dad fell.”
Clara’s heart tightened. “Sofia, Victor moved the chair. Victor caused the fall. Not you.”
“I hid.”
“You were a child outside a door watching an adult do something scary. Hiding kept you safe enough to tell the truth.”
Sofia considered that.
Then came the question Clara dreaded.
“Is Dad weak now?”
Clara looked toward the hallway, where Eduardo’s wheelchair wheels had made a soft sound earlier as he moved toward his study.
“No,” she said. “Your dad is injured. Sometimes he needs help. Those are different things.”
“He hates help.”
“Yes.”
“Do you hate helping him?”
Clara smiled sadly. “No. I hate when he thinks love is pity.”
Sofia leaned against her.
“Victor said proud men are easy to break.”
May you like
Clara kissed the top of her head.
“Then tomorrow we teach your father that being loved makes him harder to break.”
