Alone in her own room, Carol thought of the principal again—the girl she had once tormented, the woman she now owed. Regret clawed at her, but so did resolve. She couldn’t undo the past, but she could keep it from shaping Diane’s future. That much was still possible.
The next day, Carol received an email from the school. A note from the principal: “Mrs. Connors has been reminded of her duty. Bullying, at any age, is unacceptable.” Carol read it twice, a strange mix of shame and relief flooding her chest. Cycles could be broken.