Chapter 7 - The School Phone Call A few weeks later, Stallone received a call from Olivia's school.
Her teacher, Mrs. Bennett, sounded concerned.
“Olivia isn't in trouble.”
“That doesn't sound reassuring.”
“She has become very quiet.”
Stallone drove to the school.
He found Olivia sitting near a classroom window, carefully putting crayons into a box.
“Ready to go?”
She nodded.
On the drive home, she stared through the window.
He didn't pressure her.
Eventually she asked:
“Are people always pretending?”
His hands tightened on the steering wheel.
“What makes you ask that?”
“Grandma pretended she was helping.”
He took a breath.
“No. Not always.”
“How do you know?”
“Because some people make mistakes and admit them.”
“Like Grandma?”
“Yes.”
“She is trying.”
“She is.”
Olivia looked down.
“But she did something bad.”
“Yes.”
“Can someone be good if they did something bad?”
Stallone pulled into the driveway.
He turned off the engine.
“Yes.”
She looked at him.
“But being good means taking responsibility for what you did.”
“Like cleaning up juice?”
He smiled.
“Exactly.”
Olivia nodded.
Then she opened the door.
But before getting out, she asked:
“Does Grandma still love me?”
Stallone looked at her.
“I think she does.”
“Then I think she needs to learn how to show it.”
May you like
He smiled.
“That,” he said, “is probably true.”
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