Chapter 19 - MELISSA’S BREAKMelissa stopped speaking to Patricia.
Not forever.
At first.
She came to my house after Lily’s discharge.
Connor had been placed under strict juvenile-court conditions and was staying elsewhere according to the safety plan.
Melissa sat at my table and cried.
“My mother knew.”
“Yes.”
“She knew something Tuesday.”
“Yes.”
“And she called me Wednesday morning.”
I looked up.
“What did she say?”
“That Connor was doing better.”
I closed my eyes.
Melissa covered her face.
“She told me I worry too much.”
Neither of us spoke.
Then Melissa said:
“I let Mom talk me out of therapy.”
“Partly.”
She looked at me.
I continued:
“Connor is fifteen. You are his parent. Patricia pressured you. You still made decisions.”
Melissa nodded through tears.
“Yeah.”
No false comfort.
May you like
She needed accuracy more than absolution.
So did I.
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