“Everyone leaves.”
Luía turned off the water.
She looked at Laura.
“Do you want me to leave?”
Laura shrugged.
“Everybody leaves.”
Then she walked away.
Luía watched her go.
Something inside her tightened.
That wasn’t a child’s casual statement.
That was grief.
She dried her hands.
Then she noticed something on the floor.
A small strand of hair.
Then another.
She followed the hallway and saw Laura sitting behind the sofa.
The girl was pulling at her hair.
Hard.
Luía crouched several feet away.
“Laura?”
The girl immediately covered her head.
“Go away.”
Luía didn’t move closer.
“Okay.”
Silence.
After a while, Laura looked up.
“You’re not going to tell Dad?”
“Tell him what?”
“Nothing.”
Luía nodded.
“Then I won’t.”
Laura looked confused.
“Why?”
“Because you haven’t told me what you need help with.”
Laura’s eyes filled with tears.
“My head hurts.”
Luía looked at her hands.
