Chapter 14 - Elowen misses Grandma
Elowen missed Drusilla.
That frustrated me.
Then shamed me for being frustrated.
Drusilla had:
Read stories.
Made pancakes.
Taught her roses.
Bought the friendship bracelet she still wore.
People who harm children are not always cruel every minute.
That is why children miss them.
Dr. Maya Hollis, Elowen’s therapist, told me:
“Do not make her prove loyalty by staying angry.”
“I’m not.”
“You look relieved when she says she doesn’t want Grandma.”
I hated hearing it.
Maybe true.
Then Elowen asked:
“Can Grandma call?”
Protection/no-contact conditions existed due criminal case? Drusilla could have no unsupervised contact and no contact except through lawyer? Let's establish temporary child-safety order prohibited direct contact pending review, but therapeutic messages allowed later.
I said:
“Not yet.”
“Is she in jail?”
“No.”
“Does she still live there?”
“Yes.”
“Did police take shed?”
“No.”
The shed remained.
Contents removed as evidence, then later returned/cleared.
Drusilla had the padlock removed.
Then Elowen:
“Is Caleb okay?”
“Yes.”
“Did he get lunch?”
“Yes.”
That mattered more to her.
Then one day she said:
“I’m sorry I stole key.”
“You don’t have to apologize to me.”
“Grandma said stealing is always wrong.”
I paused.
Taking a key that belongs to someone else can be wrong.
But context.
“You took it because someone asked for help.”
“Still stealing?”
“Maybe taking without permission. But helping a locked child was more important.”
Five-year-olds like rules.
Real life ruins them.
Then:
“Is Grandma bad?”
“No simple answer.”
Too adult.
I tried:
“Grandma did bad things that adults are stopping.”
“Does she love me?”
“I think she does.”
“Then why spray me?”
Because love does not automatically produce safe behavior.
“She was angry and made a cruel choice.”
Elowen nodded.
Then:
May you like
“I don’t want her to love me like that.”
That sentence stayed with me.
