Chapter 24 - SANClA TELLS THE TRUTH ABOUT JUNIPER
Sancia testified next.
Not only property.
Motive.
Her lawyer asked:
“Why did you care whether Radnor lived in the house?”
She answered:
“Because everything followed.”
“What?”
“Mom’s time. Holidays. School mornings. Maelle’s belongings everywhere. Radnor fixing things and looking indispensable.”
Then:
“And Juniper?”
Sancia cried.
“She would visit and feel like a guest.”
No evidence Juniper said that often.
But Sancia felt it.
Then:
“I thought if Mom moved somewhere neutral, both girls would be visitors.”
There.
Neutrality through displacement.
Then:
“Did you want Radnor punished?”
“Yes.”
Honest.
“For what?”
“For pretending his advantage was love.”
I stared.
Then the cross-examination.
“Did Eleanor choose to have Radnor live with her?”
“Yes.”
“Did Eleanor choose to see Maelle daily?”
“Yes.”
“Did Eleanor have the right to make unequal choices with her own time?”
Sancia struggled.
“Yes.”
That hurt her worldview.
Then:
“Did Juniper ask you to sell Eleanor’s house?”
“No.”
“Ask you to remove Maelle’s medals?”
“No.”
“Ask to wear Maelle’s medal?”
“No.”
“Ask you to throw the inhaler?”
Sancia’s face collapsed.
“No.”
There.
She had used her daughter’s supposed disadvantage to justify choices her daughter never requested.
Then:
“Did you believe Maelle’s asthma accommodations were unfair?”
“At the time, sometimes.”
“Do you now?”
“No.”
“Why?”
“Because medical need is not preference.”
Simple.
Too late for the party.
Still necessary.
Then the property.
“Did you know Section 7 required Eleanor’s written approval?”
“Yes.”
“Did you have it?”
“No.”
“Did you sign anyway?”
“Yes.”
“Did you expect to obtain approval later?”
“Yes.”
“Did you believe completing preparations first would make Eleanor more likely to agree?”
“Yes.”
There.
Create facts.
Then:
“Did you plan to steal sale proceeds?”
“No.”
Accounting supported.
“Did you plan to reimburse yourself?”
“Yes.”
“Only documented costs?”
“I thought all my costs were documented.”
They weren’t.
“Did you now accept $8,900?”
“Yes.”
“Withdraw rest?”
“Yes.”
Then the original deed.
“Why take it without asking?”
“Mom’s safe was open when I gathered tax documents.”
“Why not tell her?”
“She would have asked what I was doing.”
Exactly.
Sancia knew conversation could stop action.
May you like
So she acted first.
That was the breach.
