Chapter 10 - THE LAWYER ANNA NEVER WANTED TO NEED
This time, I did not accuse her.
I sat beside her.
"Tell me."
Anna stared at Noah.
"I met with her once."
"Why?"
"Because I needed to know what would happen if I had to leave."
My chest hurt anyway.
But I listened.
Anna explained that two months earlier, Mom had cornered her in the laundry room.
Mom told her I would never ask my mother to leave.
Then she told Anna something worse.
"If you try to take Ethan's child from this house, we'll destroy you."
Anna had been seven months pregnant.
Alone.
Terrified.
So she contacted a family attorney.
Not to file for divorce.
To understand her options.
"I asked what I should do if I needed somewhere safe."
Anna wiped her cheek.
"I asked whether leaving the house with the baby would make me look like I was stealing him."
I felt sick.
"Why didn't you tell me?"
"Because every time I tried to talk about your mother, you defended her."
There was no cruelty in her answer.
That made it hurt more.
"I was afraid you'd tell her."
I nodded slowly.
"You had a reason to be."
Anna looked at me.
"I didn't want to leave you."
"I know."
"I wanted you to see me."
Those six words broke something open inside me.
For months, I had thought being a good husband meant avoiding conflict.
It did not.
Sometimes love required walking directly into conflict and standing beside the person who needed you.
"I'm seeing you now."
Anna cried.
"I know."
We sat together until Noah fell asleep.
The next morning, my attorney sent Mom a formal notice that she could no longer enter the property or access our accounts.
We also requested that all communication go through counsel for the time being.
Mom responded within an hour.
Not through a lawyer.
Through Aunt Linda.
She wanted a family dinner.
A public apology.
"She says she wants to make things right," Linda told me.
Anna shook her head immediately.
I agreed.
Then Linda added something.
"She's threatening to show everyone a video of Anna."
"What video?"
Linda hesitated.
"Anna crying."
My stomach tightened.
"She apparently says, 'I can't do this anymore.'"
Anna closed her eyes.
I turned toward her.
"You know the recording?"
"Yes."
"When was it?"
"The night she locked me in the guest room."
I stared at her.
"She did what?"
May you like
Anna's face went pale.
Then she told me there were still things I did not know.
