Chapter 21 - Derek as a father
People expected me to want Derek erased from Lily and Noah’s lives.
For a while, I did.
Especially after Lily woke from nightmares saying:
“Mommy downstairs.”
But Derek was still their father.
He had never physically harmed them.
He had exposed them to frightening behavior.
Serious.
Family court proceeded slowly.
Supervised contact.
Parenting classes.
Individual therapy.
No discussions of the case with the children.
No questioning Lily about what she told police.
The first violation was minor but important.
Derek asked Lily:
“Do you still think Daddy turned the lights off?”
She came home confused.
I documented it.
Court warned him.
He stopped.
Months later, visits expanded.
I hated some of that.
My therapist asked:
“What outcome do you want if he actually becomes safer?”
I had no answer.
Because anger wanted permanent consequence.
May you like
Parenting law asked about current risk.
Those are not the same question.
