Chapter 13 - The hidden calls
Simone had not simply confiscated Eli’s phone.
She had managed communication.
On several travel nights, she stood nearby during my calls.
Eli confirmed.
One time, he tried to text:
Can you call me alone?
Simone saw the message notification on the family tablet because his account synced.
She entered his room.
“What are you telling him?”
“I just want Dad.”
“You always want Dad the second you don’t get your way.”
Then she took his phone.
Later she texted me from her own:
Eli lost phone privileges tonight. Attitude.
I replied:
Okay. Love you both.
That message became unbearable to read.
Love you both.
While my son had been trying to reach me privately.
Could I have known?
Not from the text alone.
Could I have created better rules?
Yes.
No adult should control whether a child can privately contact a parent during conflict unless immediate safety requires it.
Obvious now.
Not obvious because I had trusted Simone to act as co-parent.
Trust had replaced structure.
May you like
Again.
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