Chapter 15 - THE FAMILY THAT WATCHED
The relatives who had been at the party wanted to move on.
I did not let them do it cheaply.
Not because everyone owed me a courtroom confession.
Because several adults watched Melisande push Ivo from his chair before I crossed the room.
Why had no one moved?
Answers varied.
“I thought you’d handle it.”
“She’s his aunt.”
“Melisande is difficult.”
“I didn’t want to make the party worse.”
Same architecture.
Fear of conflict.
Different stakes.
One uncle said:
“I figured she was joking.”
I asked:
“When he hit the floor?”
He looked down.
Good.
No need to humiliate him further.
We changed family gatherings.
Children had parents and named caregivers responsible.
No adult was automatically allowed to discipline another person’s child.
No food punishment by relatives.
No taking belongings as “teaching sharing.”
Simple.
Boring.
Necessary.
Some relatives complained.
“Families used to handle things naturally.”
May you like
Yes.
That was the problem.
