Chapter 11 - My Mother’s Visit
My mother visited me for the first time eighteen months after sentencing.
She wore the same tan coat from court.
Her hair was perfectly arranged.
She sat behind the glass as though attending an unpleasant business meeting.
“You should stop this appeal.”
I almost laughed.
“You know the video exists.”
“It can be misunderstood.”
“It shows Nora falling without me.”
“It shows part of the evening.”
“You testified that you saw me push her.”
My mother’s mouth tightened.
“I testified to what I believed happened.”
“You said you saw my hand on her shoulder.”
“You were arguing.”
“That is not an answer.”
She leaned closer.
“Your brother has suffered his entire life because of Caleb.”
“So you sacrificed me?”
“No one sacrificed you.”
“I’m in prison.”
“Because you could not let the past stay buried.”
I stared at her.
“I never investigated the accident until Dylan said we were even.”
Her face changed.
She had not known he said it.
For the first time, she looked frightened.
“What exactly did he tell you?”
“Why?”
“Words spoken under stress can be twisted.”
“He smiled.”
My mother lowered her voice.
“Dylan was seventeen.”
“Caleb was eighteen.”
“It was an accident.”
“Then why alter the report?”
She stood abruptly.
The visiting officer ordered her to sit.
She obeyed.
Barely.
“You don’t understand what losing Dylan would have done to this family.”
“You chose him over the truth.”
“We protected a child.”
“You protected your son.”
“He was a child.”
“And I wasn’t?”
Silence.
That was the question she could not answer.
She had protected Dylan from guilt, prison, and public shame.
Then she helped him place all three onto me.
Before leaving, she said, “If you expose everything, you will have no family left.”
May you like
I pressed my palm against the glass.
“I already don’t.”
