Chapter 20 - CHAD AFTER RELEASE
Chad completed custody years later.
Leo was fifteen.
Supervised release conditions remained.
No contact automatically.
Chad requested therapeutic contact through court.
Leo said no.
The court respected his age and history.
Chad wrote a letter.
The therapist reviewed.
First draft:
I was under enormous pressure.
Rejected.
Second:
Jackson turned you against me.
Rejected.
Third, a year later:
I used discipline that hurt you. I lied about Jackson because I was afraid he would take over. I used your trust situation to solve my financial problems. I tried to make your fear look like a problem in you instead of a response to me.
Leo read that one at seventeen.
He said:
“He finally gets grammar.”
I laughed.
“Do you want to answer?”
“No.”
He kept the letter.
No contact.
Then at nineteen:
One supervised meeting.
His choice.
Chad looked older.
Smaller.
Leo asked:
“Why did you say Dad could hear me from heaven?”
Chad closed his eyes.
“To make you feel alone.”
Direct.
Ugly.
“Did you know Uncle Jackson was outside?”
“No.”
“Would you have hit me with the bat?”
Chad took a long time.
“I don’t think I would have swung at you. I did hit near you to scare you.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
“I can’t promise what I would have done.”
Best answer.
No false certainty.
May you like
Leo ended the meeting after fourteen minutes.
He did not request another for five years.
