Chapter 15 - Aunt Elise
Juliana’s sister Elise Hart was forty-one.
A pediatric physical therapist.
Married.
Two children.
She had always been part of Daphne’s life.
Miranda’s plan to send Daphne to Elise for six weeks was not dangerous in itself.
Elise would have loved having her.
The problem:
Elise knew nothing.
When I called, she said:
“What six weeks?”
I closed my eyes.
“Miranda told Daphne she might stay with you after the wedding.”
“She asked me three months ago whether Daphne could visit for part of summer.”
“What did you say?”
“A week or two, sure, if you agreed.”
“Did she say six?”
“No.”
“Did she say it was to make room for a baby?”
Silence.
“What baby?”
Exactly.
Elise had been used as a hypothetical safe destination.
That made Miranda’s plan psychologically cleaner in her own mind.
She was not sending Daphne to strangers.
She was:
giving her quality time with maternal family.
But intention behind placement matters.
Elise said:
“If Daphne wants to come, she can. Not because anyone needs her gone.”
That became our rule.
Three months later, Daphne visited Elise for nine days.
Her choice.
She came home complaining cousins snored.
Healthy.
May you like
We refused to let Miranda contaminate a good relationship by making it part of exile.
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