Chapter 17 - Filing Restraining Orders Against a Toxic Controlling Mother
Three days later, Emily was discharged from the hospital and cleared to recover at a quiet downtown hotel.
We had decided never to return to the Maple Street house where the nightmare had unfolded.
My lawyer filed permanent restraining orders preventing Diane from ever contacting either of us again.
We also initiated civil asset forfeiture to sell the Maple Street property and split any remaining equity far away.
Emily’s parents flew in from out of state to stay with us at the hotel during her continued recovery.
Seeing my mother-in-law hug Emily with genuine maternal warmth brought a lump to my throat.
They baked cookies in the hotel kitchenette, laughing softly while watching daytime television on the sofa.
It was a normal, peaceful scene that reminded me what a real family was supposed to look like.
I spent my hours on the phone with real estate agents, looking for a fresh start in another city.
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We needed a place where the ghosts of my mother’s tyranny could never reach us again.
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