Richard opened his mouth, closed it, and finally nodded. He walked back down the aisle with his hands at his sides, slower than when he had approached. For most of his life he had believed that giving people money solved the problems money could reach and softened the ones it could not. He had just discovered a problem that became worse every time he tried to buy his way around it.
When Daniel returned to row two, Pearl's seat was empty. He felt his stomach tighten until Ruby pointed toward the aisle. "She's with Derek," she whispered. "She asked if she could go talk to the lady in pink. He said he'd watch her."
Daniel stood and saw Pearl walking carefully down the main cabin, her blue dress moving between rows of seated passengers. She was not running or shouting. She carried herself with the serious purpose of a little girl who had decided a question could no longer wait. Derek Hale followed several steps behind, keeping her within sight while the seatbelt sign remained off.
"Pearl," Daniel called softly.
She stopped and turned. "I want to ask her something, Daddy," she said. "Just one thing. Mommy says if you want to understand a person, you have to ask a real question."
He hesitated. Everything protective in him wanted to bring her back, keep her behind a seat belt and a reassuring wall of familiar adults, and postpone the conversation until nobody in his father's family could hurt her again. But Pearl had not asked to hug the woman or forgive her. She had asked to speak, and Daniel knew how important it was to let his daughters use their own voices.
"All right," he said. "I'll come with you. I'll give you some space to talk, but I'm staying close. You can stop whenever you want."
Pearl nodded, apparently satisfied with the arrangement, and continued down the aisle. Passengers who had witnessed the earlier dispute recognized her birthday badge. Some looked curious, others embarrassed by how much of the family's private history had begun unfolding in front of strangers. Walter Finch saw the little girl approach and shifted his cane so she could stand beside the row without difficulty.
Celeste looked up. Her eyes were red and swollen, and the pearls at her throat seemed suddenly too bright against her simple travel dress. Pearl stood in front of her, hands folded neatly, the way Grace had taught both daughters to stand when they wanted to be taken seriously.
"Hi," Pearl said. "I'm Pearl."
Celeste gave a little broken smile. "Hello, Pearl."
"Before you asked me what my great-grandma's name was," Pearl continued. "I didn't get to tell you because the other lady made me go back. Her name was Pearl, too. Daddy named me after her."
Celeste nodded. "I know now. I wish I'd known sooner."
"I have a question," Pearl said. "Why did you keep looking at my earrings?"
Celeste lifted trembling hands to the back of her neck and unfastened her necklace. She laid it across her open palm so the little girl could see every pearl and the clasp shaped like a gold flower. Pearl leaned forward and touched one of her earrings, comparing the shape with the necklace without laying a finger on Celeste's jewelry.