Chapter 14 - Ethan Returns to Family Therapy
Ethan began seeing a child therapist.
For weeks, he refused to eat mashed potatoes.
That had been the food Margaret forced toward his face.
Laura never pressured him.
One afternoon, Ethan asked whether he could see Daniel.
Laura arranged a supervised family session.
Daniel arrived early.
He apologized without blaming Margaret.
“I should have protected you.”
Ethan looked at him.
“You believed Grandma.”
“Yes.”
“More than me?”
Daniel’s eyes filled.
“I didn’t ask you. That was the problem.”
Ethan thought about that.
Then he said:
“I was scared you’d be mad because I told Mom.”
Daniel shook his head.
“Telling the truth was brave.”
Ethan replied:
“Mom says I shouldn’t have needed to be brave at dinner.”
Daniel closed his eyes.
“She’s right.”
Laura heard about the exchange afterward.
May you like
For the first time, she believed Daniel might actually understand what
he had broken.
