Chapter 25 - THEODORA EXPLAINS HERSELF
Theodora testified.
That surprised everyone.
Her attorney could not stop her if she chose after advice.
She began calmly.
“I never intended Marcellus to touch the fire.”
Probably true.
Then:
“I intended Anselm to catch him.”
There.
The prosecutor stopped.
“You intended to release him?”
“Yes.”
Her lawyer closed his eyes.
“Above the fire pit?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“To frighten Lissette.”
Silence.
My stomach turned even though I already knew.
Then:
“Why frighten her?”
“She was making everyone afraid to touch him.”
“He was six weeks old.”
“I know.”
“Did she have a right to decide who held her infant?”
“Yes.”
“Did you believe that at the time?”
Theodora’s face tightened.
“Not emotionally.”
There.
Then:
“What does that mean?”
“I thought she was using motherhood to punish her sister.”
“How?”
“By refusing overnights.”
The prosecutor stared.
“You believed a six-week-old infant should spend nights away from his mother so his aunt would feel included?”
Theodora whispered:
“Yes.”
Then:
“Did Older Sister ask you to release him?”
“No.”
“Did she know you would?”
“No.”
There.
My sister cried quietly in the gallery.
Then:
“Why tell her to block Lissette?”
“To prove Lissette could not control every movement.”
“Whose child was Marcellus?”
“Lissette’s.”
“Then who was entitled to control whether he was handed away?”
Theodora looked down.
“Lissette.”
There.
Then the most difficult question.
“Did you believe Anselm would definitely catch the baby?”
“I believed he was close enough.”
“Were you certain?”
“No.”
No more needed.
The judge asked one question directly.
“If Anselm had slipped?”
Theodora’s face collapsed.
“I don’t know.”
Exactly.
That was the risk she created.
Then defense tried to contextualize.
Infertility grief.
Family imbalance.
Theodora’s belief that Older Sister had sacrificed more for the family.
Her fear that my sister would never become a mother.
All real.
None converted a six-week-old into compensation.
The trial ended.
The judge took the matter under advisement overnight.
No dramatic instant ruling.
I went home.
Fed Marcellus.
Put him to sleep.
May you like
Sat beside his crib and listened to him breathe.
The next morning, the court would decide what legal name belonged to the worst fifteen seconds of our family’s life.
