Chapter 17 - THE FAMILY THAT WANTED A SHORTER STORY
Some relatives wanted us to say:
Fenella had a breakdown.
Short.
Private.
Embarrassing.
Recoverable.
Others wanted:
Fenella is a monster.
Also short.
Both versions were easier than truth.
At a family mediation about contact and communication, Aunt Selene said:
“She cared for Auberon his whole life.”
True.
Then:
“She made one terrible decision.”
I answered:
“She made many decisions over two weeks and five days.”
Important.
Purchase bucket.
Fill water.
Plan around trip.
Take phone.
Move car.
Send messages.
Maintain confinement.
Draft false statement.
That was not one second of rage.
Then Uncle Thomas said:
“She thought she was teaching a lesson.”
Also true.
That was part of the problem.
Then:
“Does she understand now?”
We did not know.
Her lawyer’s filings still called it:
“An unconventional cooling-off intervention.”
I laughed when I read that.
Then cried.
Words can become another shed.
Small enough to hide what happened.
I refused family mediation after that until Fenella stopped disputing basic facts.
No contact.
May you like
No audience.
No forced reconciliation.
