Chapter 26 - TWO YEARS LATERSophie was eight when she decided to grow her hair long again.
I did not suggest it.
For almost two years she kept it near her shoulders.
Then one morning:
“I want braid hair.”
“What is braid hair?”
“Long.”
“Okay.”
“That’s it?”
“What else?”
“No speech?”
“Would you like one?”
“No.”
Progress.
Her hair grew.
Slowly.
Unevenly at first.
Then past her shoulders.
The first person she let braid it was Caroline.
I learned too, badly.
My braids looked like structural failures.
Sophie photographed one and sent it to my executive team.
My chief operating officer replied:
Need root cause analysis.
Treason everywhere.
Claudia remained out of Sophie’s life.
She sent one apology letter through appropriate channels.
Dr. Lee read it first.
Then me.
Then Sophie chose whether to hear it.
She said yes.
Claudia wrote:
I cut your hair because I wanted you to feel that saying no to me had consequences. That was wrong. Your hair was yours. I was the adult, and I used being an adult to frighten you.
No:
You were difficult.
No:
Your father undermined me.
Good apology.
Sophie listened.
Then asked:
“Do I have to write back?”
May you like
“No.”
She never did.
