Chapter 8 - TEN MINUTES
Two years after Mrs. Gable first heard screaming through the wall, Josephine sat in the passenger seat outside a family-counseling center in downtown Fresno.
She was seventeen.
Her hair was shorter now, and a college information packet rested in her lap. The recovered trust would not fully cover tuition, so she had begun applying for scholarships and considering community college before transferring.
The plan was less secure than the future her grandmother intended.
It belonged to Josephine.
Elias kept both hands on the steering wheel.
“You don’t have to go inside.”
“I know.”
“You can leave whenever you want.”
“I know.”
He stopped talking.
That was another thing he had learned.
Presence did not always require instruction.
Rebecca had completed her jail sentence, eighteen months of probation supervision, financial counseling, and a family-accountability program. Her therapist requested one structured meeting with Josephine.
Josephine refused twice.
The third time, she agreed to ten minutes.
Not because Rebecca had earned reconciliation.
Because Josephine wanted to know whether her mother could sit across from her without explaining the betrayal as sacrifice.
Inside, Rebecca waited in a small room with a counselor. No family photographs decorated the walls. No blue folders rested on the table.
Rebecca stood when Josephine entered.
“You look—”
“Don’t.”
Rebecca sat again.
Josephine chose the chair nearest the door.
Elias remained in the lobby with Caleb, who was completing math homework and pretending not to watch the hallway.
The counselor reviewed the boundaries.
Rebecca could acknowledge her actions.
She could answer direct questions.
She could not ask for forgiveness, discuss financial need, or place responsibility on Grant, Elias, or the children.
Josephine placed her phone on the table and set a ten-minute timer.
Rebecca watched the numbers begin counting down.
“I practiced what I wanted to say,” she admitted. “But that was part of what I did to you. I decided the right words could control what happened next.”
Josephine said nothing.
Rebecca looked at her hands.
“I stole from you. I helped Grant create lies about you. I used Caleb because I knew you loved him. When you resisted, I treated your fear as a problem to manage instead of evidence that I was hurting you.”
The timer showed seven minutes.
“Why did you hate me?” Josephine asked.
Rebecca’s head lifted.
“I didn’t.”
“Then why was I the easiest person to sacrifice?”
Rebecca breathed in slowly.
“Because I thought you were strong enough to survive me.”
Josephine’s expression did not change.
“That isn’t love.”
“No.”
It was the first time Rebecca answered without adding anything.
The timer reached two minutes.
Rebecca did not ask when they would meet again.
She did not mention Caleb.
She did not cry until Josephine stood.
At the door, Josephine paused.
The counselor looked at her.
“Would you like another session scheduled?”
Josephine glanced back at her mother.
Rebecca remained seated, waiting without reaching for her.
“I don’t know,” Josephine said.
“That’s okay,” the counselor replied.
Josephine opened the door.
Elias rose in the lobby but did not ask what happened. Caleb packed his math book into his backpack.
The three of them walked toward the parking lot together.
Behind them, Rebecca remained in the counseling room with no promise of another ten minutes.
May you like
Josephine had not closed the door forever.
She had simply stopped allowing anyone else to decide when it opened.
