Total pages in book: 93
Estimated words: 86808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 86808 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 434(@200wpm)___ 347(@250wpm)___ 289(@300wpm)
Her voice trails off and she lets out a tiny sob. My arm goes back around her. “She never woke up again?”
Sylvie shakes her head violently. “She never spoke again and died a day later.”
“I can’t imagine how confusing all of that was for you. Watching your mother die, a revelation that was hard to understand, and no one who could answer any questions for you. It’s not fair you had to go through that.”
There’s a hint of anger in her tone. “I have no say in any of this. I just have to go where people tell me and no one cares what I want.”
I take a breath and decide to put some distance between us. I want her to listen to what I have to say and I want her to see me more as an authority figure than a nurturer. So I move back to my side of the booth and push my plate aside, ignoring my food.
“Sylvie… let’s try to reason out the best way to handle your situation. I understand you don’t want to be with the Blackburns, but maybe if you could tell me why you want to stay with Lionel and Rosemund, we can come up with a solution. You’ll be talking to the judge in a couple months and he’s going to take your wishes into consideration. Tell me what you love about being with them.”
I get the answer I was expecting simply by the blank look on her face. I wait patiently but she can’t articulate one solid reason other than she likes her uncle Gabe, but then admits he’s hardly ever there because he works so much. It’s patently clear the child has no emotional connection with either of her Mardraggon grandparents.
I pounce on this moment of doubt to transition to her current living situation. “If I could wave a magic wand, I would help you get back home to France, but I can’t. The only thing I can do is try to help you acclimate here. But one thing I know about Ethan Blackburn… if it’s important to you, I bet he’d take you back to visit.”
It’s clear I’ve shocked Sylvie by the flaring of her eyes and parting of her lips, but she still looks distrustful.
“Can you tell me all the ways in which the Blackburns are making life hard for you? Since your father has asked me to intervene, I need to be able to talk to him to help resolve those issues. For example, does he yell at you a lot?”
Sylvie frowns and shakes her head. “He doesn’t yell at all. No one does. But neither do the Mardraggons.”
I nod in understanding, giving her a smile. “Does Ethan call you names, belittle you? Does he make you feel bad about yourself?”
Her face screws up as she considers the question and I can tell it’s with great reluctance she has to admit, “He’s been nice to me. All of the Blackburns have.”
I level another smile at her. “I think you understand what I’m aiming for, Sylvie. If you are in a stable home right now, there’s nothing I can do to get you out. If you are not being treated well by the Blackburns and you feel the Mardraggons treat you better, then I will do everything in my power at the end of those two months to help get you back there. I’ve got some advice for you if you want to hear it?”
There’s only a slight hesitation before she says, “Okay.”
“I’m going to suggest you give the Blackburns a chance. Sit back, evaluate and compare. And make your own determinations. Don’t let anyone tell you how you should feel about the Blackburns, especially because of a history that you don’t even know anything about. You’re old enough and smart enough to assess the situation for yourself. Give the Blackburns the time the judge ordered and if you are unhappy when that time is up, I’ll advocate for you to go back to the Mardraggons if that’s what you want.”
Sylvie huffs out a sigh of frustration. I know she wants instant gratification, but that’s just not going to happen. So I pull on what I’ve learned tonight. “Your mother made this choice for you. Not Lionel and Rosemund, and not Ethan. And I know you trusted and loved your mom like no other. So I’d suggest you call upon her memory and trust that she’d never send you somewhere that was bad for you. In fact, I think we have to consider that she felt this was the absolute best for you and that you need to trust in it.”
That knocks the wind out of Sylvie’s sails and she sags a little in her seat. But she also lifts her gaze to me and nods. “Okay. I’ll give it a shot.”