Chapter 9 - Marietta’s first defense
Marietta hired attorney Grace Hollowell.
Smart.
Calm.
She released no statement publicly.
Privately, she claimed:
The celebration program never created equal entitlements.
Correct.
Eleanor could spend differently on grandchildren.
Also:
Some gifts were intentionally shared.
Possible.
Also:
Marietta believed Samantha’s estate covered Aubrielle separately.
False but perhaps explainable.
Then the labels:
“Secondary supported child.”
Grace said:
“Internal shorthand.”
Then the birthday assault.
Separate.
Marietta did not try to justify the slap legally.
Her attorney began negotiating misdemeanor resolution.
Then my mother.
Marietta sent Eleanor:
You always said Weston would destroy himself over that girl. I protected family resources.
Eleanor replied:
I said no such thing.
Marietta:
You said Samantha was a mistake.
Eleanor froze when I showed her.
Because that part was true.
Years earlier, before Aubrielle was born, Eleanor disliked Samantha.
Called the relationship unstable.
Told me:
“This will end badly.”
Marietta had turned old disapproval into permanent authority.
My mother said:
“I was wrong about Samantha. I never meant Aubrielle.”
I answered:
“Did you ever tell Marietta that clearly?”
Silence.
May you like
There it was.
Families create monsters from sentences they refuse to correct.
