Chapter 20 - Michael faces me
When Michael returned, he asked to see the girls.
We had already created a temporary parenting arrangement through lawyers.
No court found him dangerous.
He had grabbed my arm once.
Serious.
Not grounds to erase fatherhood.
He had regular daytime time with Megan and Olivia.
No Jessica present unless I agreed.
I did not.
That night he sat across from me.
“I want to apologize.”
“Okay.”
“I physically stopped you from leaving.”
“Yes.”
“I told myself I was preventing a scene.”
“Yes.”
“I was really protecting my mother from consequences.”
There.
“I saw Olivia crying.”
“Yes.”
“I saw Megan’s dress.”
“Yes.”
“I still cared more about what the room thought.”
There.
Then:
“I don’t want the girls learning that.”
I looked at him.
“Neither do I.”
“Can we fix this?”
The question contained marriage.
Not parenting.
I knew.
“I don’t know.”
He nodded.
No pressure.
That was the first useful change.
But change arriving after harm does not guarantee a marriage survives.
May you like
We would find out.
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