Chapter 12 - The Screenshots
Tyler had more than memory.
He had screenshots.
A week before the cookout, he borrowed Grandma’s laptop to print a school assignment.
A messaging window had been open.
He saw his own name.
Children click.
He took pictures with his phone.
Not because whistleblower.
Because he thought it was funny adults were arguing about him.
The messages were between Diane and Rachel.
Rachel:
Tyler says Emma won’t let him touch the stupid tablet.
Diane:
Claire encourages it.
Rachel:
She encourages everything that makes that kid difficult.
Diane:
Martin will kill the patio camera before Saturday.
Rachel:
Good. Last thing I need is Claire playing prosecutor.
Then, lower:
Rachel:
If she keeps acting like Emma owns everything because Adam died, remind her who covered her when she was falling apart.
Diane:
Exactly.
I stared.
Adam.
My grief had become a debt.
My mother believed that because she helped me after my husband died, she had purchased authority over me and Emma.
Then another screenshot.
Rachel:
And I need the rest of the boutique money before July.
Diane:
Not now.
Rachel:
You said Emma’s fund still has over 90.
Diane:
Claire is getting suspicious about everything.
Rachel:
She’s always suspicious.
The tablet confrontation and the account were not separate worlds.
They came from the same entitlement.
Emma has more.
Claire has more.
Therefore taking is balancing.
The screenshots did not prove a plan to injure.
They did prove that Mom and Rachel deliberately discussed disabling the camera before confronting us.
May you like
Laura filed them in the visitation case.
My parents’ petition began collapsing under its own evidence.
