Chapter 7 - THEODORA’S FIRST STORY COLLAPSES
Police interviewed Theodora twice.
First:
Accidental handoff.
Then phone videos showed no receiving hands positioned beneath Marcellus.
My sister was between me and the fire pit but slightly to the side of Theodora.
If Theodora had intended a normal handoff, she would have moved laterally.
Instead she held Marcellus above the stone ring.
Then opened her hands.
Second story:
She meant to lower him toward my sister but lost balance.
Video showed both feet planted.
No stumble.
No surprise reaction before release.
Third:
She thought Anselm was already reaching.
That was worse.
As though dropping a newborn toward a sixty-five-year-old man over flames became safe if she expected him to catch.
Then the prosecutor requested access to relevant family messages through lawful process.
Theodora’s own phone was preserved after warrant/consent procedures appropriate to the case.
No magic access.
No entire-life fishing expedition.
Relevant date ranges only.
The first important message came from three days before the party.
THEODORA to MY SISTER:
On Saturday I am done letting Lissette control the room with panic.
My sister:
Please don’t start anything.
THEODORA:
I’m going to show everyone how irrational she gets when someone else has Marcellus.
My sister:
What does that mean?
THEODORA:
Nothing dangerous. Just don’t interfere.
There.
My sister’s lawyer seized on:
Nothing dangerous.
Good for her.
Terrible for Theodora.
Then:
THEODORA:
If she sees you calm and herself hysterical, maybe she’ll finally understand who needs more support.
My sister:
I don’t want a scene.
THEODORA:
Then help me prevent one.
That explained the blocking.
Not excused.
Explained.
Then Theodora texted a friend:
Lissette thinks motherhood means nobody can touch the baby unless she approves every breath.
Friend:
He’s six weeks old.
Theodora:
Exactly. She is creating dependence.
A six-week-old dependent on his mother.
Apparently unacceptable.
Then:
I need one public moment where everyone sees how unstable she becomes when control is taken away.
There.
No fire yet.
No drop.
But intent to provoke.
Then another message the morning of the party:
If she lunges, her sister will block her. Maybe that finally ends the martyr routine.
My skin went cold.
Theodora planned the blocking.
My sister had consented to some version of it.
Then what about the fire?
No text described dropping Marcellus.
That remained Theodora’s spontaneous escalation.
Important.
No fake premeditated murder plot.
May you like
She had planned a coercive demonstration.
Then, in the moment, chose something unimaginably dangerous.
