Chapter 25 - Dinner at Maribel’s
The first community family visit happened at Maribel’s house.
Neutral.
I stayed.
Isolde came.
Tamsin watched her carefully.
Dinner:
Roast chicken.
Carrots.
Potatoes.
Bread.
I noticed Tamsin noticing the serving bowls.
So did Isolde.
Maribel served everyone.
No one controlled Tamsin’s plate.
Tamsin ate.
Then:
“Can I have more potatoes?”
The entire table froze for half a second.
Isolde looked at me.
Then at Maribel.
Then Tamsin.
Maribel said:
“Of course.”
Tamsin took more.
Nothing happened.
Later she asked for bread.
Isolde said nothing.
No performance.
After dinner, Tamsin left half the second piece.
Old Isolde would have said:
“You asked for it, finish it.”
This Isolde looked at the plate.
Then away.
That was behavior.
Not redemption.
But behavior.
Then coffee.
Isolde told me quietly:
“I still think you work too much.”
I almost laughed.
“I still think you overstep.”
She nodded.
“We probably won’t solve that.”
“No.”
Then:
“I don’t want to be paid to watch her.”
That surprised me.
“Why?”
“Because I made money into proof.”
Good.
“Does that mean you’ll never accept reimbursement?”
“I don’t know.”
Also good.
No dramatic oath.
Just awareness.
Then:
May you like
“If I’m Grandma, I need to be Grandma first.”
That was probably the closest we would get to wisdom.
