Chapter 14 - SABINE’S SON DID NOT WANT THE ROOM
Miles finally saw Ione at a park.
Both therapists agreed cousin contact could continue.
Sabine stayed across the park with another adult.
I stayed nearby.
No case talk.
Miles ran to Ione holding a dinosaur book.
“I brought yours.”
Ione took it.
“That was in my room.”
“I know.”
Then:
“I didn’t want your bed.”
Ione said:
“I got loft bed.”
Miles looked impressed.
“Better.”
“Yeah.”
Then they ran toward swings.
That was it.
Children solved the bedroom war in eleven seconds.
The adults had needed lawyers.
Then Sabine approached me after.
Not close.
“Can I say something?”
“One minute.”
“I’m sorry.”
“For what specifically?”
She winced.
“Pricing her things. Moving Miles into the room. Helping Mom take pictures. Believing I didn’t need to ask you because she said it was handled.”
Good.
Then:
“Did you know about the signature?”
“I suspected.”
That was different from earlier.
“You said you didn’t know.”
“I didn’t know she copied it until later.”
“When later?”
“After the petition.”
“Why not tell me?”
“I was afraid Mom would throw me out.”
There.
Housing dependency.
Mother had let Sabine and Miles stay at her condo after police removed them from my house.
Free.
Sabine was in a financially fragile divorce.
She relied on Mother.
Again.
Not excuse.
Context.
Then:
“Did Mom threaten you?”
“Not directly.”
“What?”
“She said if I ‘sided with you,’ I could solve my own housing.”
There.
Soft leverage.
Family style.
Then Sabine said:
“I’m moving.”
“Where?”
“Small apartment near Miles’s school.”
“With what?”
“My own money.”
She had part-time bookkeeping work and temporary spousal support.
Tight.
Possible.
Good.
Then:
“Are you asking me for help?”
“No.”
That surprised me.
Then she looked at the children.
“I need to stop letting Mom turn help into authority.”
There.
We all had versions of the same lesson.
I had let Mother’s childcare become authority.
Sabine let housing become authority.
Mother confused generosity with jurisdiction.
Then I said:
“You still owe for Ione’s property.”
“I know.”
She nodded.
No hug.
May you like
No reconciliation.
Just responsibility.
