Chapter 13 - Maren Refused to Let the Family Pretend She Was Fine
Everyone focused on Owen.
Understandably.
He had been struck.
Threatened.
Burdened with the affair.
Then Maren said something during counseling:
“I’m mad too.”
The room turned toward her.
She crossed her arms.
“I watched Dad get hit. I watched Owen get hurt. Mom lied to me too.”
She was right.
Maren had not discovered the affair first, but she had lived inside its consequences.
She had watched her brother change.
Noticed their mother hiding messages.
Seen Wade act strangely.
Then witnessed the golf confrontation explode in front of her.
I apologized for assuming she was fine simply because she looked calmer.
That was another lesson.
The loudest child is not always the only hurt child.
Maren began having separate sessions.
She eventually told Adrienne:
“You made Owen keep the secret, but you made me look stupid when I asked questions.”
Adrienne did not defend herself.
Good.
May you like
Maren needed truth more than reassurance.
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