Chapter 14 - The Last Time He Could Choose
Daniel's proposal was simple.
He would concede that I should have primary custody.
He would withdraw his opposition to my potential relocation.
He would accept supervised visitation.
In return, he wanted me to submit a statement to prosecutors saying I did not believe he intended serious physical harm.
That last sentence was true.
It was also incomplete.
I did not believe Daniel intended to kill Caleb.
I believed he intended to drug him.
I believed he intended to plant evidence.
I believed he intended to use our son's altered physical condition to manipulate a custody case.
I wrote exactly that.
His lawyer called it hostile.
“It's accurate,” I said.
Carol begged me to soften it.
“He's already lost everything.”
“Caleb almost lost everything.”
Amber's cooperation had created pressure of its own. Prosecutors now believed both siblings could be charged, though the exact counts would depend on the grand jury.
Daniel called me one final time through the parenting application authorized by the court.
“Tell me you're not enjoying this.”
“I'm not.”
“Then why won't you help me?”
I looked at Caleb sleeping on the couch with his soccer blanket pulled beneath his chin.
“Because helping you used to mean keeping arguments private.”
I lowered my voice.
“Now helping Caleb means refusing to do that.”
Daniel was quiet.
“Will he hate me?”
It was the first question he had asked in months that wasn't about court.
“I don't know.”
“Can you tell him I love him?”
“When his therapist says it's appropriate.”
He began crying.
I didn't comfort him.
The next morning Daniel formally withdrew his contested custody request and signed the interim parenting restrictions.
That afternoon, prosecutors notified us that the grand jury had returned indictments.
May you like
Nothing I said could stop the exposure now.
I had chosen not to try.
