Chapter 5 - Victoria’s complaint
My mother went to urgent care.
Bruised hip.
Sprained wrist from landing awkwardly against Arthur.
No fracture.
No head injury.
She filed a police complaint against me.
I was not surprised.
What surprised me was how angry I felt that she had the right.
Dana said:
“She does.”
“I know.”
“Say it like you mean it.”
“She does.”
“You kicked her after the immediate threat to Gigi had stopped.”
“Yes.”
“Your criminal exposure is separate from Arthur’s.”
“I know.”
I was eventually offered diversion on a misdemeanor assault charge.
No prior record.
Limited injury.
Highly emotional context.
Community service.
Conflict-management course.
No new offense.
Successful completion meant dismissal.
I accepted.
Victoria called it proof that:
“Clara was the violent one.”
My brother’s attorney later referred to:
“mutual family violence.”
That phrase enraged me.
Then Dana asked:
“Is it completely false?”
I stared.
“Arthur slapped a toddler.”
“Yes.”
“I kicked an adult.”
“Yes.”
“They’re not equivalent.”
“Correct.”
“But?”
“But if you need Arthur’s action to erase yours, you’re repeating the same family habit.”
There.
May you like
I hated Dana for about a week.
Then completed every requirement she told me to.
