Chapter 25 - Diane’s real apology
My mother’s first apologies were useless.
“I’m sorry you misunderstood.”
No.
“I’m sorry the family got torn apart.”
No.
“I’m sorry Vanessa lost control.”
That was Vanessa’s apology, not hers.
Then, almost two years later, Diane came to my apartment.
By invitation.
Emma was at Aaron’s.
She brought nothing.
Good.
She said:
“I told Vanessa to handle Emma because I wanted the problem solved before you came downstairs.”
“Yes.”
“I knew you would object to Vanessa correcting her.”
“Yes.”
“So I tried to let Vanessa do it before you could stop her.”
There.
No violence intended.
Still intentional circumvention.
Diane continued:
“I had convinced myself your parenting boundaries were suggestions.”
“Yes.”
“I told Emma not to tell you things because I didn’t want to deal with your reactions.”
“Yes.”
“Which meant I made a four-year-old responsible for keeping peace between adults.”
There.
That was hers.
Then:
“When she was hurt, I went to Vanessa first.”
My throat tightened.
“I know.”
“I think I did that because if I went to Emma first, I would have to admit Vanessa had done something I couldn’t defend.”
She cried.
“I am sorry.”
I believed her.
May you like
Trust did not restore instantly.
But that was the first apology containing the actual wound.
