Chapter 12 - The Guardian ad Litem
Her name was Evelyn Grant.
Fifty-four.
Family-law attorney.
Not easily impressed.
She interviewed me.
Caleb.
Imogen.
Andrew.
Mason.
School staff.
She did not interview Sawyer extensively because the custody case was not about him.
Good.
She asked me:
“Did you agree Mason could reside in your home?”
“Temporarily.”
“Duration?”
“Initially three weeks, then until Imogen’s repairs completed if necessary.”
“Did you agree he could use Sawyer’s bedroom?”
“No.”
“Did you agree Sawyer would live elsewhere?”
“No.”
“Did you know Ms. Mercer represented that he would spend frequent nights with his maternal grandmother?”
“No.”
“Did Ms. Mercer slap Sawyer?”
“Yes.”
“Were you present?”
“Yes.”
Then:
“Did you dump clothing over Ms. Mercer, causing her to fall?”
“Yes.”
No hiding.
She wrote.
Caleb’s interview hurt more.
“Did you tell your sister you would figure something out before the home observation?”
“Yes.”
“Could she reasonably interpret that as permission to alter rooms?”
“No.”
“Reasonably?”
He paused.
“She could interpret that we would create a better setup for Mason.”
There.
“Did you specify office?”
“In later text.”
“Did you tell Rosalind before leaving?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“I delayed.”
Evelyn wrote.
Then:
“Did you know your sister had made hostile comments toward Sawyer?”
“Yes.”
“How many?”
“Several over years.”
“Did you leave her in the home anyway?”
“Yes.”
Caleb looked sick.
No need for melodrama.
Truth.
Evelyn did not recommend Andrew get sole custody.
She recommended:
Mason spend school weeks primarily with Andrew temporarily until Imogen obtained independent stable housing and completed parenting-focused counseling.
Shared legal custody remained.
Substantial weekend and holiday time with Imogen.
Why?
Not because she slapped Sawyer alone.
Because her housing instability, misrepresentation to the evaluator, and involving Mason in adult custody fears showed impaired judgment.
Temporary.
Review in six months.
Imogen called it:
“You took my son.”
The court said:
“No. The parenting schedule changed.”
Words matter.
May you like
Mason still had a mother.
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