Chapter 9 - Adrian Had To Admit The Slap Was Wrong Too
Milo had seen Adrian slap Bianca.
That could not be ignored.
His therapist brought it up directly.
“What did Dad do when he found you?”
“He hit Bianca.”
“Was that okay?”
Milo hesitated.
“She was bad.”
The therapist looked at Adrian.
He understood immediately.
“No,” Adrian said.
Milo looked surprised.
“She locked me up.”
“I know.”
“So why was it wrong?”
“Because I was angry and lost control. I should have opened the closet, gotten you safe, and dealt with Bianca without hitting her.”
Milo frowned.
“Even if someone does something really bad?”
“Yes.”
That answer was harder to give than Adrian expected.
Because part of him still wanted to frame the slap as protective instinct.
But protection was not what his hand accomplished.
Opening the closet protected Milo.
Holding him protected Milo.
Removing Bianca from the home protected Milo.
The slap was retaliation.
One impulsive act.
Adrian refused to teach his son that anger becomes morally correct when aimed at someone who deserves condemnation.
Milo thought for a long time.
Then said:
“So both people can do something wrong but one thing can still be worse?”
Adrian almost smiled.
“Yes.”
“That’s confusing.”
“Very.”
That was real family accountability.
Messier than heroes and villains.
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