My mother was not allowed unsupervised contact with Charlotte.
Kendra was not allowed to approach my home.
All communication had to go through email or counsel.
And the money stayed gone.
That was the part they screamed about the longest.
Not Charlotte’s fear.
Not Nora being coached.
The payments.
Kendra had to refinance her own car or lose it.
My mother had to arrange her own utility plan.
The insurance contribution ended.
The grocery card closed.
I simply stopped financing people who thought my child was an acceptable pressure point.
Weeks later, Charlotte asked if Grandma was mad forever while she placed blueberries into a pancake smiley face.
I told her, “Grandma is responsible for Grandma’s feelings.”
Charlotte thought about that.
“And I’m responsible for pushing Nora?”
“Yes,” I said. “You apologized for pushing. That was your part.”
“But I wasn’t bad?”
“No.”
My mother had wanted Charlotte to learn fear.
