Chapter 19 - DIANE TELLS THE TRUTHHer first genuine admission came eight months after the party.
Not in criminal court.
In a structured family session connected to sentencing and treatment.
Diane sat across from me.
No baseball bat.
No gray-haired monster.
Just my mother.
Older.
Tired.
She said:
“I saw the video.”
I waited.
“I knew Olivia had lied.”
“Yes.”
“I was angry at her.”
That surprised me.
“Then why did you hit me?”
Diane started crying.
“Because you looked at me.”
I almost laughed from disbelief.
“What?”
“You looked at me like you were waiting to see whether I would finally admit she was wrong.”
“I probably was.”
“I felt exposed.”
“Because Olivia lied?”
“Because you were right about us.”
There.
Then:
“I thought everyone in the room was judging her.”
“They were shocked.”
“And I thought you had done it.”
“Done what?”
“Made the whole room see her the way you see her.”
I leaned forward.
“The camera showed what she did.”
“I know that now.”
“You knew it then.”
Diane closed her eyes.
“Yes.”
No dementia.
No confusion.
No missing memory.
May you like
Rage.
She knew.
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