“No problem,” I said. “Just wanted to check in about Lily’s progress.”
“We can discuss it during the next session.”
Translation: go away. So I went away.
But I didn’t forget. For the next three days, I thought about Lily’s whispered word and the way she’d touched my sleeve. The way she’d drawn those ballerinas over and over, each one more detailed than the last. The way her shoulders had loosened after she said it, like she’d finally let a piece of herself slip out into the world again.
So when the next session rolled around, I went straight to Hector’s office and knocked before I could talk myself out of it.
“Come in.”
He was at his desk, reading something on his computer. He didn't even look up when I entered.
“I need to talk to you about Lily.”
“Is she alright?” Now he looked up, the concern immediate and sharp in his eyes—the kind that made it painfully clear that Lily was the only thing capable of cracking his armor.
“She’s fine. She spoke during our last session.”
Hector’s whole body went still. “What did she say?”
“Dance. She said ‘dance.’” I moved closer to his desk. “And I think we should let her take ballet classes again.”
The concern vanished, replaced by that cold mask he wore so well. “No.”
“Just like that? No?”
He turned back to his computer. “Was there anything else?”
“Yes, actually. I’d like to know why.”
“Because I’m her father and I said no.”
“That’s not a reason, you are just being autocratic.”
His eyes cut to me. “Autocratic?” The corners of his lips curved, but nothing about his eyes were smiling.
“Yes. You know, ruling with absolute power, making decisions without input, generally being a tyrant.” I crossed my arms.
“I know what autocratic means, Ms. Tinsley.”
His fingers stilled on the keyboard. “She’s eight years old. Children want a lot of things that aren’t good for them.”
“True. But they also want things that help them heal. Things that connect them to happy memories.” I moved closer to his desk. “Ballet could be therapeutic for her.”
“Or it could set her back.”
“Have you considered that taking it away might have already done that?”
His eyes cut to me. “Careful, Ms. Tinsley.”
The warning in his voice was clear, but I’d already committed to this. “I’m just saying that sometimes what we think is protecting someone is actually isolating them. Lily loved ballet. She loved it with her mother, and maybe that’s exactly why she needs it.”
“You don’t know what you’re talking about.”
“Then explain it to me.” I kept my voice calm, reasonable. “Help me understand why letting Lily do something she clearly wants is a bad idea.”
He stood up, and every instinct told me to step back. Hector wasn’t physically intimidating in an aggressive way, but his presence took up space. Made the air feel thinner. And I was instantly reminded of our power dynamic.
