Chapter 24 - Trent writes to me
Two years after the foyer, a letter arrived through Trent’s probation officer.
He had requested permission.
I could decline.
I accepted the letter, not contact.
It read:
Mrs. Mercer,
I hit you because you told me no and I believed you had no right to say no after helping us before.
There.
Strong opening.
I had spent so long telling myself you used money to control Rachel that I stopped noticing how much I expected your money to solve problems I made.
There.
I destroyed the camera because I knew I had committed an assault and wanted the proof gone.
No:
panic only.
I told Rachel you had agreed to support the Greenbridge deal more specifically than you had.
There.
Then:
I copied your signature. Rachel sent the document. I told her you had authorized it. She should have verified, but I created it.
Specific.
He continued:
I do not expect forgiveness or contact.
Good.
The final paragraph:
When you said I made a mistake from the start, I thought you meant the camera. I know now the first mistake was walking into your house believing our emergency gave us rights over you.
I sat with that sentence.
Did I write back?
One line.
I received your letter. Thank you for stating your actions accurately.
Apparently my family had developed a standard form.
Fine.
May you like
Accuracy before intimacy.
With Trent, intimacy never reopened.
