Chapter 9 - My mother’s role becomes harder to judge
Child services concluded Eleanor participated directly in the confinement.
That was clear.
She physically escorted Sofia.
Sometimes carried her.
Locked the door on at least three occasions.
Removed the doll twice.
Enforced waiting to eat once.
No serious physical injury.
Still harmful.
Could my mother claim coercion by Raymond?
Not legally in the strongest sense.
He did not threaten to kill her.
Did not physically force her.
Did not control all her money.
Eleanor had personal wealth.
Friends.
Lawyers.
A driver.
Options.
She obeyed because forty-four years of marriage trained her to treat resistance as catastrophe.
That explained.
Did not erase.
She entered therapy independently.
Not court ordered.
Then agreed to a temporary no-contact plan regarding Sofia.
Weeks became months.
She wrote letters.
We stored them.
Did not give them to Sofia yet.
Her first was terrible.
My darling Sofia,
Grandma made mistakes because she thought she was helping Grandpa—
No.
Rebecca advised her to rewrite if she ever hoped a therapist would approve it.
Second:
Sofia,
I took you to a room when you did not want to go.
I locked the door.
I should not have done that.
You were scared.
You did not cause Grandma’s decision.
Better.
Then:
I also took Caroline the doll away from you because Grandpa told me to.
I knew you were upset.
I should have stopped.
There.
No:
But.
No:
I was only obeying.
Sofia was five.
We did not read it.
At six?
Maybe.
The letter could wait.
Apology can be ready before recipient.
May you like
That does not create a delivery right.
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