Chapter 13 - VANESSA’S APOLOGY WAS THE FIRST TIME SHE CALLED IT ABUSEFirst attempt:
I’m sorry Sophie experienced my discipline as frightening.
No.
Second:
I’m sorry I lost patience.
Too small.
Months later:
Sophie, I grabbed you, shoved you, pinched you, restricted food, threatened that your father would send you away, and photographed the marks left after some of those incidents.
There.
I then used your fear and reactions as evidence that you were difficult.
Yes.
That was abuse.
I stopped reading.
Then continued.
You were a child. I was the adult. Nothing you did made me entitled to frighten or hurt you.
Good.
Then:
I also told myself I was documenting you because I was afraid Daniel would leave me. That fear belonged to me, not you.
Exactly.
Sophie did not read it at six.
May you like
It was stored.
Her choice later.
