Chapter 3
Brenda swallowed hard as her eyes darted frantically between me and her children, who were now looking at her with deep disappointment. The gas station clerk stood quietly behind the counter, wiping down the stainless steel coffee machine while watching the family conflict unfold.
“I just told Mom that Hannah needed to learn some real discipline,” Brenda stammered nervously, her voice cracking under the intense pressure. “I said she was becoming spoiled because you don’t make her do half the hard chores that I assign to my own kids every single weekend. I handed Mom the written paper and said if she wants to stay at the house and hang out with us, she needs to carry her weight like everyone else. I swear I never intended for Mom to literally throw her out into the street!”
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“You knew exactly what Mom is capable of doing,” I said, keeping my voice dangerously low and steady. “You knew Mom has spent her entire adult life using conditional love as a terrifying weapon against us. You handed her a loaded weapon, pointed it directly at my young child, and then acted surprised when she pulled the trigger.”
Brenda took a step backward toward the exit doors, her mouth opening and closing silently. “I was honestly just trying to help you out because I thought it would be good for her growth! You are always working late hours, so I just thought—”
