Chapter 12 - Grant Had to Leave the House Before Ava Could Feel Safe
Ava did not return immediately to Grant’s normal household routine.
That was hard for him.
Good.
Some consequences should be uncomfortable.
He agreed to temporarily live elsewhere while an independent child specialist assessed what Ava needed.
Marianne was removed from the home entirely.
No unsupervised contact.
No visits framed as apologies.
No pressure on Ava to forgive anyone.
Grant began intensive therapy focused on childhood trauma, control, and parenting.
He hated the phrase trauma cycle at first.
Said it sounded like an excuse.
His therapist told him:
“It is only an excuse if you use it to avoid responsibility. It becomes useful when you use it to change behavior.”
That sentence stayed with him.
It stayed with me too.
Because I had my own work to do.
I joined several sessions.
Not to supervise Grant.
May you like
To answer for my part in where the pattern began.
---
