Chapter 11 - REENA’S FIRST REAL APOLOGY
Reena’s therapist worked with supervised visitation.
After months of denial, she gave an apology to Drew and Lily.
Approved script.
No case discussion.
No blaming Aaron.
No asking forgiveness.
She sat across from them in a family center room.
I watched only later through supervisor notes, not live.
She said:
“I made choices that scared you.”
Good.
“I should not have locked the basement.”
Better.
“I should have taken Drew to a doctor when his leg hurt.”
Good.
“I should not have used food as punishment.”
There.
Then she started:
“I was grieving and—”
The supervisor interrupted.
“No explanations today.”
Reena stopped.
That mattered.
Then:
“I am sorry.”
Drew asked:
“Did Dad break me?”
The room froze.
Reena looked at supervisor.
Supervisor said:
“You can answer truthfully without discussing the case.”
Reena swallowed.
“No.”
First clean no.
Drew stared.
“Then why you say?”
She cried.
“I said things that were not true.”
“Why?”
The supervisor intervened again.
“That may be something adults talk about later.”
Good.
No burdening.
Drew turned away.
Lily asked for crayons.
Visit moved on.
Afterward Drew told me:
“Mom said Dad didn’t.”
“Yes.”
“Does that fix Dad?”
“No.”
“What does?”
“Nothing needs to fix your dad into perfect.”
He hated that answer.
Later, he drew Aaron wearing a cape anyway.
Kids get to mythologize their dead parents if they need to.
Adults should not litigate the cape.
Then Reena improved in parenting program.
Attendance.
No violations for six weeks.
Family court began discussing potential step-up to supervised community visits eventually.
I was furious.
Monica said:
“Progress does not erase past. The court must also evaluate whether safe relationship can be rebuilt.”
“What if she hurts them again?”
“Then we respond.”
I wanted guarantee.
None.
Then criminal case slowed due discovery.
Reena’s lawyer requested independent medical expert.
Fine.
The expert agreed current fracture was subacute and untreated but said mechanism could be accidental fall.
Again.
Assault count uncertain.
Neglect stronger.
Then Reena’s mother offered to supervise visits.
CPS declined initially due minimization.
She completed relative caregiver training.
Later maybe.
Then my job.
I had reduced hours.
Savings draining.
Kinship stipend helped some.
Survivor benefits eventually transferred for children’s use.
I kept separate account.
Receipts.
No one accused me credibly.
Still, I hired accountant to track.
Not because required for every dollar.
Because I wanted no future story:
Peter took money.
Then Drew returned to school.
Wheelchair first.
Then boot.
Kids asked:
“What happened?”
He said:
“I hurt my leg.”
Teacher had safety plan.
No public explanation.
One boy said:
“Your mom broke it?”
Drew punched him.
Not hard.
Still.
School called.
I picked him up.
In car:
“Why?”
“He said Mom.”
“Did you hit?”
“Yes.”
“What could you do next time?”
“Tell teacher.”
“Yes.”
He crossed arms.
“Mom hit people.”
I swallowed.
“Adults can teach bad ways.”
“Did Dad hit?”
“Cabinet.”
“Not people?”
“As far as we know, not you.”
He stared out window.
Then:
“Did you ever hit?”
“I got in fights when I was younger.”
His head snapped.
“Really?”
“Unfortunately.”
“How many?”
“Enough.”
“Did you go jail?”
“No.”
“Did Grandma know?”
“Our mom? Yes. She was unimpressed.”
He almost smiled.
Normal conversation broke through.
Then:
“I don’t want to be like Mom.”
“You’re not defined by one punch.”
That was important.
We did not create another family rule:
Bad people hit.
Humans hit sometimes.
Accountability matters.
Then Lily began calling basement “down room.”
At my townhouse? I had no basement. Good.
She refused any room with closed door.
We practiced.
Door open.
Door halfway.
She chooses.
No forcing.
Months later she closed bathroom door herself.
I did not clap.
Again:
Normal.
Then Detective Bennett called.
“Trial date may be set.”
I felt stomach drop.
“Will Drew testify?”
“Prosecutor is evaluating alternatives and necessity.”
Children can testify with accommodations depending law, but minimizing trauma matters.
Forensic interview may be admissible under exceptions, but Confrontation Clause in criminal case can require testimony if testimonial unless defendant had prior opportunity cross-examine. So likely Drew might need to testify if statements central, perhaps via closed-circuit under statutory protections if court finds trauma. Could also rely on physical/digital evidence for many counts, reducing need. We should handle realistically.
The prosecutor decided:
For unlawful confinement and neglect, adult/digital evidence plus limited Drew testimony might be needed.
They would seek child-sensitive procedure.
I hated it.
No one wanted six-year-old? By trial maybe seven.
May you like
But criminal justice sometimes asks children to say the thing again.
The next phase was coming.
