Chapter 16 - Christine leaves the house
Christine and I separated temporarily.
Not because I thought she participated in hurting Jake.
Because I could not sleep beside someone who had watched it happen.
She moved into a furnished apartment five miles away.
Jake remained with me under temporary court arrangements while child-protection and family-court assessments continued.
Christine had supervised contact initially.
That devastated her.
She did not fight it.
Good.
At the first supervised visit, Jake refused to hug her.
Christine cried.
Then asked:
“Can I sit here?”
He nodded.
They built a Lego truck for forty minutes.
At the end she said:
“I should have stopped Grandpa.”
Jake looked at her.
“You said stop.”
“I should have done more.”
He stared.
Then:
“Why didn’t you?”
Christine answered:
“I was scared.”
“Of Grandpa?”
“Yes.”
“But you’re a grown-up.”
Her face broke.
May you like
“Yes.”
No better question existed.
