Chapter 17 - NINA AND THE YELLOW DRESSNina wore the yellow dress to Andrew’s one-year memorial.
Not a funeral.
We had already had that.
Just family and a few friends at a botanical garden Andrew loved.
I asked:
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“It has a tear.”
“I know.”
“We can fix it.”
“No.”
She wanted the damaged flower visible.
I did not turn that into symbolism for her.
Adults are terrible about assigning metaphors to children’s clothes.
She wore white sneakers.
New.
Forty dollars.
Sylvia did not attend.
Charles did not either.
Monique came.
Vivian came.
The girls stayed on opposite sides of the garden for the first hour.
Then I saw Vivian approach Nina.
I started moving.
Monique touched my elbow.
“Wait.”
I hated waiting.
But we did.
Vivian said something.
Nina crossed her arms.
Vivian spoke again.
Then handed her a small paper bag.
Later Nina showed me.
Inside:
Two pink socks.
New.
Not the old missing one.
A note in Vivian’s handwriting:
I’m sorry I made fun of your clothes. I said it because Grandma and Grandpa laughed when I did. That was mean. You can wear whatever you want.
Nina said:
“I’m not forgiving her yet.”
“Okay.”
May you like
“But I’m keeping the socks.”
“Also okay.”
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