Chapter 5 - My sister cannot be my lawyer
Natalie wanted to represent me.
She could not.
Not practically.
She had received the SOS.
Entered with police.
Handled the recording phone.
Been grabbed by Lucas.
Slapped him.
She was a witness.
So she did the responsible thing.
She found me another lawyer.
Andrea Whitmore, family law.
For the criminal-victim side:
Prosecutors handled prosecution, and I retained victim-rights counsel Melissa Grant? Avoid user prompt mistress? Use Sarah Holden.
For finances:
Andrea would bring in a forensic accountant later.
Natalie remained:
My sister.
That was harder for her.
She wanted tasks.
Instead I asked her to make Sophie grilled cheese.
She cried while doing it.
That night at Natalie’s house, Sophie slept in my bed.
Owen slept on a mattress beside us.
My face was swollen purple.
Sophie stared.
“Is baby okay?”
“Doctors say baby looks good.”
“Did Valerie hurt her?”
“We don’t have signs that she did.”
Good.
No promise.
Then:
“Why did Daddy smile?”
There.
I had no answer.
“I don’t know.”
“He did.”
“I know.”
“Was it funny?”
“No.”
“Then why?”
“I don’t know yet.”
That became my answer often.
Children deserve truth without adult speculation.
Then Owen.
“Daddy told us watch.”
My body tightened.
“Watch what?”
Sophie looked at him.
“Don’t.”
I stopped myself.
No questioning.
The forensic interview would happen the next morning.
I said:
“You don’t have to tell me tonight.”
Owen crawled closer.
“Can Daddy come?”
Not:
Do I want Dad?
Children miss dangerous adults too.
Or compromised adults.
Lucas had never hit them.
Never hit me.
He made pancakes.
Read bedtime stories badly.
Coached Sophie’s soccer.
Built Owen a wooden train table.
Families do not become fiction just because one night reveals something monstrous.
Andrea filed for emergency temporary orders.
Requested:
Primary temporary physical custody with me.
Supervised Lucas contact initially.
No Valerie contact.
Exclusive use of house.
No removal of children from jurisdiction.
No disposal of major assets.
No access to my medical information except necessary pregnancy/baby updates under court order.
Would judge grant everything?
Not automatically.
We would need evidence.
Old phone.
Bodycam.
Children’s statements.
Lucas’s conduct.
The hearing would decide.
Then Lucas texted me through an approved temporary channel before attorneys shut direct contact down.
I never told Valerie to hit you.
I stared.
I had not accused him of that in writing.
Then:
I didn’t know she would use the pan.
Again.
Unprompted specificity.
Then:
Please don’t take my kids because she lost control.
His kids.
Not:
Because I lost you.
I handed the phone to Andrea.
May you like
“Save it.”
We did.
