Chapter 22 - Sarah almost moves too fast
I decided to sell my house.
Bad timing.
Not because of money.
We had been living in Rachel’s home for five months.
Leo wanted to stay.
My house sat empty except occasional weekends.
I thought:
Sell.
Put my equity into investments.
Commit.
Then First Ridge’s trust officer, Allison Crane, asked:
“Do you want to stay in Rachel’s house permanently?”
“I think so.”
“Or do you want Leo to stay and you are afraid moving him means betraying Rachel?”
I hated her.
Trust officers should not be insightful.
I stopped the listing.
Why?
Because if I sold my house, I would make myself financially dependent on continued occupancy of Leo’s trust property.
Conflict.
Better to keep options.
I rented my house for one year instead under professional management.
Income mine.
Rachel’s house remained trust-owned.
I paid utilities and agreed contribution.
Separation.
Good.
Then Marcus’s apartment.
Family court approved first two-hour unsupervised? Maybe too soon. Let's do supervisor nearby, then after another few months maybe unsupervised day visit.
Marcus asked for overnight.
Denied for now.
Why?
Not punishment.
Relationship reestablishing.
Leo’s therapist supported slower pace.
Marcus accepted.
Then he made one mistake.
Bought Leo a new gaming console.
Expensive.
$550.
I objected.
Not because unaffordable.
Because major gifts during reunification can create pressure.
Marcus said:
“It’s his birthday.”
Fair.
Dr. Porter said ordinary birthday gifts okay, but scale/expectation matters.
Leo wanted it.
I realized I was overcontrolling.
We allowed gift.
With rule:
No gift changes visit schedule.
No secret accounts.
No financial promises.
Marcus laughed when lawyer wrote that.
Then told Leo:
“It’s just a birthday present.”
Good.
Then First Ridge sent annual trust report.
Balance after market movement and housing expenses:
About $1.13 million including Rachel’s life insurance and other estate assets allocated? Wait insurance 750k + house in trust not counted maybe total ~1.1m if house equity. Let's avoid exact net total.
No crisis.
No one draining.
Then Marcus requested copies?
May you like
As non-trustee, no automatic rights. He did not ask.
Progress.
