“Is everything under control?” Kelly asked.
“We’re making progress,” I replied.
Brittany nodded.
“She knows what she’s doing.”
Kelly looked relieved.
While we worked, Brittany began talking about her grandmother.
She told me how the older woman used to sit behind her on the porch, gently braiding her hair while telling stories about her childhood.
“She never had much money,” Brittany said. “But she always looked beautiful to me.”
“What made her beautiful?”
Brittany thought about it.
“She made people feel important. Even when she was tired, she listened. She never made anyone feel small.”
I smiled.
“Those are good qualities to inherit.”
“I wish I’d listened to her more.”
“You still can.”
Brittany looked at me.
“What do you mean?”
“Every time you choose to treat someone kindly, you carry a little of her with you.”
She looked away quickly, wiping her eyes.
I continued working until the last of the visible slime had been removed.
