Chapter 9 - The Table
Liam’s forensic interview happened nine days after I came home.
I did not sit in the room.
I watched from another location with permission.
The interviewer, Jenna Price, explained:
“If I say something wrong, tell me.”
Liam nodded.
Then she asked:
“What happens at dinner?”
“Grandma decides.”
“What does she decide?”
“Who sits.”
“Where do you sit?”
“Sometimes chair.”
“Sometimes?”
“Under.”
“Why?”
“If I’m bad.”
“What is bad?”
He thought.
“Crying.”
My hands tightened.
“Anything else?”
“Touching Austin.”
“Anything else?”
“Asking Mommy.”
I stopped breathing.
Then Jenna:
“What happens under the table?”
“I eat.”
“Does anyone put food there?”
“Grandma.”
“Does Daddy know?”
“Yes.”
“What does Daddy do?”
“Phone.”
That answer destroyed me.
Not an elaborate beating.
Jeffrey looking at his phone while his child ate on the floor.
Then:
“Has anyone hit you?”
Liam nodded.
“Who?”
“Cynthia.”
My stomach turned.
“Where?”
“Face one time.”
“What happened?”
“I said Austin isn’t Daddy’s.”
There.
The paternity secret had reached him.
“How did you know?”
“Blue book.”
“Did you read it?”
“No.”
“Then how?”
“Cynthia yelled at Daddy.”
“What did she say?”
Liam frowned.
“Test says no.”
The adults had argued in front of him.
Then Jenna asked about Noelle.
“She grabs.”
“Where?”
He pointed to his forearm.
“Kicks?”
One time he said she nudged his foot/leg when he refused to come out from under table. No need exaggerate.
“What about Daddy?”
Liam looked down.
“Daddy holds me.”
“Like a hug?”
“No.”
“Show me.”
He demonstrated being gripped by upper arms and moved.
Then:
“Does Daddy hurt you?”
“Sometimes.”
“On purpose?”
“I don’t know.”
Good.
Children do not need to assign intent.
Then Jenna asked:
“Why are you scared of Daddy?”
Liam started crying.
“Because he says Mommy doesn’t want me.”
I left the viewing room.
I could not breathe.
Later, Jenna told me the rest.
Jeffrey had said:
“Mommy chose London.”
True in a narrow way.
Then:
“If you keep acting like this, maybe she won’t want to come home.”
Not true.
Cruel.
Then Liam said Cynthia told him:
“When Austin moves into your room, you’ll go somewhere for kids who can’t behave.”
Lakewood.
He knew.
Then the final question.
“What do you want to happen now?”
Liam said:
“Mommy stays.”
That became my entire legal strategy.
Not revenge.
May you like
Safety.
I wanted my son to stop negotiating for my presence.
