Chapter 6
Millicent requested permission to visit Anna.
Elise refused.
Millicent responded through an attorney.
That surprised everyone.
Not because she had counsel.
Because the letter accused Elise of being emotionally unstable.
It described “erratic decision-making during late pregnancy.”
It claimed Elise had become paranoid about fetal movement.
It claimed she had repeatedly threatened to leave Travis.
It also described Augusto as “an intimidating influence who interferes with the marital household.”
Jennifer read it twice.
“This wasn’t written yesterday.”
“What do you mean?”
“The structure.”
She pointed to dates.
The letter referenced incidents from four months earlier.
Three months.
Six weeks.
Someone had been keeping notes.
Elise felt sick.
“Why?”
“We don’t know.”
Millicent agreed to speak through attorneys.
No private family meeting.
During the interview, Jennifer asked one important question.
“Why did you prevent Elise from going to the hospital?”
Millicent’s answer was immediate.
“Because Travis said she was panicking again.”
Elise looked up.
Jennifer did not react.
“What exactly did Travis tell you?”
“That the doctor had already said the baby was fine.”
“Did you speak to the doctor?”
“No.”
“Why not?”
“My son handles medical matters with his wife.”
“Then why did you take her hospital bag?”
Millicent stiffened.
“She was creating chaos during dinner.”
“Did Travis ask you to stop her?”
A pause.
“I don’t remember.”
Jennifer waited.
Millicent’s expression became defensive.
“He told me weeks ago that Elise was using pregnancy symptoms to manipulate everyone.”
Elise felt as though somebody had removed the floor.
Jennifer remained calm.
“His words?”
“Yes.”
“What did you think she was manipulating people to do?”
“Let her run back to her father every time she didn’t get her way.”
There it was.
Not medical concern.
Loyalty.
Millicent believed Elise’s relationship with Augusto competed with her marriage.
Why?
Because Travis had told her it did.
Afterward, Elise sat silently beside Jennifer.
Her attorney closed the notebook.
“You okay?”
“No.”
“What are you thinking?”
Elise stared at the wall.
“All this time I thought his mother was poisoning him against me.”
Jennifer waited.
May you like
Elise looked down.
“What if he was doing the opposite?”
