Chapter 22 - Reena’s Letter About Aaron
Reena eventually wrote Drew a letter approved by therapist.
He was eight.
It said:
Drew,
I told you that your father caused injuries that I knew he did not cause.
Direct.
Not all?
She continued:
Your dad did scare us sometimes when he yelled. He also grabbed you too hard at least once.
Balanced.
Then:
But I used those things to make you believe injuries from the basement were his fault too.
There.
Then:
That was wrong.
Most important:
Your father tried to stop me from locking you downstairs.
There.
He talked to a lawyer.
He told Peter he was worried.
There.
Then:
I was angry with him and afraid he would take you away, so I told people he was dangerous.
Some of what I said was true about his temper. Some was exaggerated. Some was false.
That was perhaps the most honest paragraph she ever wrote.
Then:
You do not have to decide whether Dad was good or bad.
Excellent.
Drew listened.
Asked:
“Did Mom lie?”
“Yes.”
“Did Dad?”
“Sometimes probably. Adults do.”
He frowned.
“Was Dad trying to save us?”
I said:
“He was trying to change what was happening.”
“Did he?”
“Not before he died.”
That hurt.
But truth.
Drew folded letter.
Asked to keep.
May you like
Yes.
────────────────────
