Chapter 16 - MY ANGER CLASS
I enrolled voluntarily.
Not because prosecutor required.
Because Sorrel had seen me throw a duffel into mud.
Because my family message had hurt him.
Because anger was turning me into a man who acted first and explained later.
The counselor, Marcus Hale, asked:
“What did throwing the bag communicate?”
“That Garrick’s property could be treated like Sorrel’s.”
“Did Sorrel need that lesson?”
“No.”
“Then who was the audience?”
“Garrick.”
“What did you want him to feel?”
“Humiliated.”
There.
Then the family group message.
“What did you want relatives to do?”
“Pressure him.”
“Did they?”
“Yes.”
“Who got hurt?”
“Sorrel.”
Exactly.
My mother used family consensus as control.
I had used family gossip as pressure.
Different scale.
Same tool.
I hated that.
Then Sorrel found the workbook.
“Dad homework?”
“Yes.”
“Because mud?”
“And message.”
He nodded.
“Good.”
Children enjoy adult accountability.
Then he asked:
“Does Uncle get homework?”
“His choices are his.”
“That no.”
“It means I don’t control him.”
He frowned.
“You control me.”
“Some things. I’m your parent.”
“Not fair.”
Correct.
Then Garrick began his own counseling.
Not court ordered.
I heard only because his attorney mentioned attendance in mediation.
No details.
Privacy.
Good.
Mother’s counselor provided only compliance statement to court:
Eudora is working on differentiation between grandparent attachment and parental authority; demonstrates partial insight but continues to experience strong fear of relational loss.
Partial.
Honest.
Then one visitation session went badly.
Mother brought Sorrel a new expensive tent.
Lila stopped it at the door.
“No gifts tied to repair.”
Mother became defensive.
“I broke his.”
“You reimbursed the replacement.”
“This is better.”
“Not relevant.”
Mother looked at me.
I said nothing.
She finally put it back in her car.
During session Sorrel asked:
“Where tent?”
Mother said:
“I thought buying something would fix a feeling. Dr. Lila said no.”
That was surprisingly good.
Sorrel said:
“Can still see it?”
Lila:
“Later.”
No instant rejection of all gifts.
Just no transactional apology.
Then Mother asked Sorrel:
“Do you know you are my grandson no matter what?”
Lila froze.
I did too.
Sorrel answered:
“Yes.”
Then:
“Even before test?”
Mother’s face broke.
“No.”
Honest.
Then she corrected:
“I should have acted like it.”
Sorrel looked away.
May you like
The session ended early.
Progress can hurt.
