Chapter 13 - A Different Kind of Strength Winter arrived.
Eleanor invited Olivia over.
Stallone hesitated.
He didn't make the decision for Olivia.
“What do you think?”
Olivia looked at him.
“I want to go.”
“Are you sure?”
“Yes.”
“Then I'll pick you up afterward.”
The afternoon was surprisingly ordinary.
Eleanor and Olivia baked cookies.
They watched a movie.
They argued over frosting.
When Stallone arrived, he found flour covering Olivia's apron.
“We made cookies!”
“I can see that.”
“Grandma let me use extra chocolate.”
“I did not.”
“You said yes!”
“One extra.”
“Two.”
“One and a half.”
Stallone laughed.
The argument was ridiculous.
And beautiful.
Because it was normal.
On the way home, Olivia said:
“Grandma is learning.”
“Yeah.”
“Am I learning too?”
“What are you learning?”
“That people can make mistakes.”
“And?”
“That they have to show they're sorry.”
“And?”
Olivia smiled.
“That I get to decide who makes me feel safe.”
Stallone nodded.
“That one is important.”
“I already knew it.”
He laughed.
May you like
Of course she did.
She had known it before any adult in the family.
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