Chapter 25 - SOPHIE’S FATHER
Criminal conviction did not magically erase paternity.
Family court handled Sophie separately.
Lauren received primary custody.
Brent’s contact was suspended during the early period and later limited to therapeutic, reviewed communication depending safety assessments and his incarceration status.
Lauren struggled with that.
“I want her to know she has a father.”
Daniel answered carefully:
“She can know the truth without being made responsible for maintaining a relationship.”
He rarely gave family advice.
That one stayed.
When Sophie was six, she asked:
“Why doesn’t Daddy live near us?”
Lauren said:
“Because Daddy made choices that hurt me when you were in my belly, and a court decided he had to live somewhere else for a long time.”
“Did he hurt me?”
“We think what happened hurt you too.”
“Did he mean to?”
“We don’t know that he meant to hurt you.”
Truth without absolution.
May you like
Sophie nodded.
Then asked for peanut butter.
