Chapter 19 - The Custody Review
The family court did not hand Elodie to Nora overnight.
That would have been another adult fantasy.
The judge ordered an independent custody evaluation.
School records.
Therapy records.
Nora’s treatment history.
Current home.
Sabine’s caregiving history.
Elodie’s wishes.
Gradual changes followed.
More phone contact with Nora.
Then regular weekend visits.
Then extended school breaks.
Sabine retained significant custodial time.
Because she had been one of Elodie’s primary caregivers for years.
Nora accepted that reality even when it hurt.
“I wanted her back immediately,” Nora told the evaluator.
“Why didn’t you demand it?”
“Because what I want and what makes her stable might not be identical.”
That sentence told me more about recovery than any certificate.
Eventually the court ordered a shared arrangement with Nora holding increasing parental decision-making and Sabine retaining scheduled contact under a revised guardianship framework while reunification continued.
May you like
No winner.
A child with two meaningful adult relationships, finally without one being required to erase the other.
