Chapter 16 - Marissa Came Without Her Children
Marissa arrived at my house three months after trial.
Alone.
I almost did not open door.
She stood holding no flowers.
No gifts.
Good.
“Can I talk?”
“Ten minutes.”
She sat on porch.
“I told Mom to leave Mia.”
My body went still.
“I know you said fine.”
“No. More.”
I waited.
“The group text you saw wasn’t whole conversation.”
“What did you delete?”
She swallowed.
“A voice message.”
Police had not recovered perhaps because deleted before sync.
“What did you say?”
“Mom called Sunday night and said Mia was crying about car sickness.”
“She wasn’t.”
“I know now.”
“What did you say?”
Marissa stared at hands.
“I said if she was going to make everyone miserable, maybe she shouldn’t come.”
Silence.
“I did not say leave her alone.”
“No.”
“I thought Mom would call Grandma Evelyn or neighbor.”
“You didn’t verify.”
“No.”
“You knew there was a seat.”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
She cried.
“Because I wanted one thing to be easy.”
There was that word.
Easy.
“My divorce was awful. Nick and I were fighting. Logan had issues at school. Mom said she wanted to give us a week where my kids felt special.”
“And Mia didn’t deserve special?”
“I didn’t think that far.”
“That is the problem.”
“Yes.”
She wiped her face.
“I am not asking you to forgive.”
“Good.”
“I want Mia to know her cousins love her.”
“She knows.”
“Can they see her?”
“Yes. They have.”
We had allowed Logan and Sophie to visit with Andrew present twice.
Children were not responsible for adult choices.
Marissa nodded.
“What about me?”
“I don’t know.”
“That’s fair.”
That answer surprised me.
She stood.
Then:
“Mom has moved into an apartment.”
“I know.”
“Dad moved somewhere else.”
“What?”
“They separated.”
I stared.
“When?”
“Two weeks ago.”
“Why?”
“Dad says he spent thirty-five years calling silence peace.”
I sat back.
Marissa left.
I did not hug her.
May you like
But I did not close door before she reached car.
That was progress.
