Chapter 22 - DELPHINE’S LETTER
Delphine wrote Iris every year.
Through counsel.
Cards were stored.
At twelve, Iris said no.
At sixteen:
“Maybe one.”
We chose the most recent.
Delphine wrote:
I thought becoming your grandmother gave me a claim on you before I had learned to respect your mother’s claim to herself.
Good.
Then:
I believed Mirelle was temporary because marriage felt temporary to me and blood felt permanent.
Better.
Then:
I was wrong. Blood did not give me permission to turn your birth into a transaction.
Iris read slowly.
“Did she really want custody?”
“She wanted control over your care arrangement and the trust process. A court would still have decided custody.”
“Did she think you were bad mom?”
“She prepared papers that could be used to say that.”
“Was she trying to make you crazy?”
“No.”
Important.
“She was trying to create a story that I might be unstable if I resisted.”
“Did Dad help?”
“Yes.”
Iris nodded.
No sugarcoating.
At twenty-two she agreed to one mediated meeting.
Delphine was eighty-three.
First question:
“Did you think Mom would leave me?”
Delphine said:
“I thought she would leave Sutton Hall.”
“Did you think I would stay with you?”
“Yes.”
“Did you want that?”
“Yes.”
“More than you wanted Mom safe?”
Long silence.
“At that time, yes.”
Iris breathed out.
“Okay.”
Then:
“Did you love Dad?”
“Yes.”
“Why make him scared of you?”
Delphine cried.
“Because I confused dependence with closeness.”
The meeting lasted thirty-three minutes.
No hug.
No forgiveness declaration.
Iris never visited again.
May you like
She allowed birthday cards.
That was enough.
