Chapter 21 - BRIAN USES THE BOWL AGAINNot physically.
Legally.
His attorney in the paternity case mentioned the birthday incident to argue family volatility complicated contact.
Brian had photographs of his bruised face.
I had not realized Melissa’s recording captured the bowl hitting him.
Of course it did.
The video began with Brian serving me kibble and saying:
“A freeloader only gets dog food.”
Then me throwing the bowl.
A judge seeing both did not need to choose one behavior as permission for the other.
My throwing the bowl became a reason to keep early meetings with Eli structured.
That hurt.
I wanted to say:
I would never throw anything around him.
But the court did not know me through intention.
It knew evidence.
So I accepted safeguards.
Public visits.
April nearby.
No unsupervised overnights at first.
Not because I had a criminal record for violence.
May you like
Because everyone wanted Eli’s adjustment slow and safe.
Humility is useful when it protects a child.
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