Chapter 14 - THE LAST TIME MARLENE ASKED US TO CALL IT A MISTAKE
Marlene received a plea offer.
It included charges related to medication tampering, endangering Natalie, interfering with medical care, and physically restraining Lily.
Her attorney requested one final family meeting.
Natalie agreed.
Marlene arrived carrying a small envelope.
Inside was a written apology.
Natalie read it silently.
Then she slid it back.
“What’s wrong with it?” Marlene asked.
“You called it a medication mistake.”
“It was.”
“No.”
“I misjudged the dose.”
“You planned for me to become incapable.”
“I planned for someone to take care of Lily.”
“Without me.”
Marlene began crying.
“I could not lose her.”
Natalie’s voice remained steady.
“So you were willing to make her lose me?”
That ended the argument.
Marlene looked toward me.
“You told me you wanted the North Carolina job.”
“I did.”
“You said Natalie wasn’t sure.”
“She wasn’t.”
“I thought she was going to take Lily and blame you later.”
“You thought you had the right to stop us.”
“I thought someone had to think about the child.”
Natalie stood.
“You were never thinking about Lily.”
Marlene recoiled.
“I love her.”
“I believe you.”
That startled all of us.
Natalie continued.
“That is what makes this worse. You loved her and still made her watch you hurt her mother because you thought your love mattered more than everyone else’s.”
Marlene lowered her eyes.
The final plea paperwork sat between them.
For once, nobody rushed to comfort her.
Nobody turned guilt into forgiveness.
Nobody offered a smaller consequence because she was family.
May you like
After several minutes, Marlene picked up the pen.
She signed.
