Chapter 10 - THE GIRL IN THE MIRROR
Ava stopped speaking during therapy.
She communicated through drawings.
Most showed the kitchen.
White counters.
Black shoes.
Sophia’s blue dress.
In every picture, Ava drew herself without a mouth.
Dr. Ortiz explained that Ava associated speaking with punishment.
Sophia made her repeat phrases in front of mirrors.
I am ungrateful.
I am difficult.
I make my father unhappy.
If Ava refused, Sophia slapped her arms or locked away Chloe.
The twins had been controlled through each other.
Ava obeyed to protect Chloe.
Chloe stayed quiet to protect Ava.
Ethan began attending family sessions.
He learned not to fill silence with questions.
One afternoon, Ava placed a drawing in front of him.
It showed Ethan outside a door.
His phone glowed in his hand.
The twins stood inside.
Sophia held the key.
“I was right there,” Ethan whispered.
Ava finally spoke.
“You always left before we could tell.”
He nodded.
“I did.”
“I thought work made you happy.”
“It did sometimes.”
“Did we make you sad?”
“No.”
The answer came too quickly.
Ava looked away.
Ethan corrected himself.
“Sometimes parenting was hard.”
“Sometimes grief made me tired.”
“But none of that was because you were wrong.”
“I failed to show you the difference.”
Ava touched the page.
“Are you going to get married again?”
“I don’t know.”
Her face tightened.
“Not soon.”
“Not without talking to you.”
“You don’t need our permission.”
“No.”
“But anyone entering our family must understand that you are not furniture to be rearranged.”
Ava looked toward the mirror in the therapy room.
A faint red mark still remained on her cheek.
She stood and faced her reflection.
“I am not ungrateful.”
Ethan stayed silent.
“I am not difficult.”
Her voice shook.
“I do not make Dad unhappy.”
Ethan moved beside her.
“You do not.”
Ava looked at him through the mirror.
“Say it without looking at your phone.”
He placed the phone on the floor.
“You do not make me unhappy.”
“You make me responsible.”
“You make me proud.”
“You make me afraid sometimes because loving someone means knowing they can be hurt.”
“But you have never been a burden.”
Ava began crying.
May you like
Ethan did not tell her to stop.
He stood beside her until she finished.
