Chapter 5 - Noah hears the wrong part
Noah heard:
Grandpa paid me.
That was enough.
I found him sitting on the stairs after Lucía and Sofia left.
“Hey.”
He stared at his socks.
“Grandpa paid her?”
I sat one step below him.
“Yes.”
“How much?”
“That doesn’t matter.”
“Was it a lot?”
“No.”
He looked offended.
Apparently humiliation had market value.
“Two hundred?”
I sighed.
His ears worked.
“Yes.”
He thought for several seconds.
“Only two hundred?”
I almost laughed.
Didn’t.
“Noah.”
“What?”
“This is not about your price.”
He looked at me.
“What is it about?”
“Grandpa wanted to upset me.”
“So he used my birthday.”
“Yes.”
“And Sofia did it for money.”
“Yes.”
“Does she hate me?”
“I don’t think so.”
“That’s stupid.”
“What?”
“Doing something mean to somebody you don’t hate.”
Welcome to adulthood.
I said:
“People sometimes hurt somebody because they care more about something else in that moment.”
“Money?”
“For Sofia, maybe money and approval and thinking it was funny.”
“Grandpa?”
“Control.”
He frowned.
“What’s control?”
I chose my words.
“Wanting other people to behave the way you want because it makes you feel powerful or safe.”
“Like you?”
Fair.
“Sometimes.”
He considered that.
“Are you controlling?”
“Sometimes.”
“Is Grandpa?”
“Sometimes.”
“Who’s worse?”
Children always demand rankings.
“I’m working on not making this a competition.”
He groaned.
Then:
“I don’t want Grandpa at my redo.”
“Okay.”
“Sofia maybe.”
“Okay.”
“Not Aunt Lucía.”
“Okay.”
Then:
“Maybe later.”
“Okay.”
He looked annoyed.
“Stop saying okay.”
May you like
I smiled.
“Sure.”
