Chapter 11 - THE DAMAGE OF “MOMMY FORGOT”
Maisie began asking Naomi the same question every morning.
“You coming back?”
At first Naomi answered automatically.
“Of course.”
Then she realized how often Maisie asked.
At preschool drop-off.
At bedtime before Graham’s custody days.
Even when Naomi went upstairs to shower.
“You coming back?”
The therapist explained carefully.
Maisie had internalized uncertainty.
Not because Naomi was actually disappearing.
Because she had repeatedly been told abandonment was possible.
Naomi felt furious.
Then guilty.
The therapist stopped her.
“You didn’t create the messaging.”
“But I missed it.”
“You are seeing it now.”
So Naomi stopped making grand promises.
Instead, she made small predictable ones.
“I’ll be here after school.”
“I’ll call at seven.”
“Daddy picks you up Friday, and I’ll see you Sunday at four.”
Then she followed through.
Graham did the same.
No adults asking:
“Who do you want to live with?”
No:
“Which house do you like better?”
No loyalty tests disguised as questions.
Vanessa had no direct contact during the initial evaluation period.
Not as punishment.
Because Maisie needed distance from rehearsed messaging.
Vanessa wrote Maisie a card.
Graham showed it to the therapist first.
It said:
You never have to say anything to make me love you.
Naomi cried when she heard it.
May you like
Not because she forgave Vanessa.
Because that was exactly what Maisie should have been told from the beginning.
