Chapter 9- Outburst

“Yes, Papa Tyre. I am sorry,” Leah repeated.

“You are forgiven, Leah.” He swung back around and resumed the grading of the mounds of papers on his desk. He wanted the sting to last for a while before giving her a buffer.

She walked over to Phoenix and gave her a hug. “So sorry, Auntie Phoenix,” she apologized.

“It’s okay, sweetie. We are all figuring this out together,” Phoenix soothed her. She thought of the line from the nursery rhyme, when the bough breaks. It was inevitable, she felt.

Leah felt the long walk to her room as she wondered where little Rachel could possibly be. She privately hoped that she had not scared her into hiding. When she finally entered her room, there stood Rachel with a comb and brush in her hand.

She said, “May I brush your hair?”

“Yes, Rachel,” she said holding back her tears.

Rachel began to brush Leah’s hair as she got up on her knees on top of the bed. She had Leah sit on the floor. She brushed softly but with a strong, reassuring hand and said, “Your hair is so pretty.” Leah was silent and Rachel’s humming was the balm of balms as all of Leah’s cares slowly evaporated away. 

June 7, 2025