Chapter 22 - Lenora Testifies
Lenora took stand.
She admitted:
Removing vest.
Plan.
Prior sessions.
Push.
She called it:
“A corrective movement.”
Prosecutor replayed.
She stopped using phrase.
Then:
“Did Cade ask for vest?”
“Yes.”
“Why not return?”
“Because he was safe.”
“Did he say stop?”
“Yes.”
“Why continue?”
“Because avoidance reinforces fear.”
“Are you licensed therapist?”
“No.”
“Did a licensed therapist instruct this plan?”
“No.”
“Did Adair consent?”
“No.”
“Pierce?”
“Yes.”
Then prosecutor showed text:
Do what you think is best.
Good defense point too.
Then:
“Did you know Adair required vest?”
“Yes.”
“Did you know she would object?”
“Yes.”
“Why not tell her?”
“She overreacts.”
Then prosecutor showed my kick.
Lenora smiled slightly.
That may have hurt her.
Then:
“You wrote no Mom calls during exercise.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Because Cade uses his mother to escape.”
There.
A child seeking parent framed as manipulation.
Then:
“You wrote return to hotel only after Level Three.”
“Yes.”
“What if he did not stop crying?”
“He would eventually.”
“What if he said no for an hour?”
“He wouldn’t.”
“So he had no ability to end exercise.”
“He was seven.”
The prosecutor paused.
“Yes.”
That single word landed.
Then defense asked:
“Do you love Cade?”
“Yes.”
“Want him injured?”
“Of course not.”
“Did you believe method would help?”
“Yes.”
“Do you believe that now?”
Long pause.
“I believe parts were wrong.”
“Which?”
“I should not have pushed him.”
“And vest?”
She hesitated.
“I should have followed his parents’ safety rule.”
Better.
“And no-return rule?”
Silence.
Then:
“I thought stopping would make fear worse.”
“That’s not answer.”
Lenora’s eyes filled.
“I should have let him stop.”
There.
First real insight.
May you like
Not complete.
Enough.
