Page 40 of Balance

I don’t know what to think about it. I’ve looked into the center and it’s incredible. They have some of the best psychiatrists working there, there’s also group therapy and mandatory parenting classes for anyone who has children.

I’m rooting for her. The girls deserve to have both parents in their lives. Everyone gets in over their heads and makes mistakes, or maybe Brittany does have mental health issues and they will help her through them. Apparently it’s a twelve-month program, too. It’s not like she’s going to be banging down the front door in the next few weeks.

Mackenzie grunts beside me and sits up, running her fingers through her greasy red hair. “I’m going to go get in the bath,” she hoarsely whispers and limps out of the room. I frown as I watch her leave and rub my hands down my face.

I’ll give her a week before I start dragging her outside and get her to talk at least for a few minutes at a time. It wouldn’t be hard to research what happened but I don’t want to break hertrust in me. There’s a reason why she came here and not to her parents.

She trusts me. Knows that I would be here for her and not force her to do or say anything she’s uncomfortable with. At least not yet.

I pull out my phone and stare down at the screen. The girls won’t be waking up for about an hour, maybe it’s time for me to be brave, too.

Time to read what the PI scrounged up.

I grumble to myself as I pad down the hall towards my bedroom and sit on the edge of my bed as I grab the paperwork from my nightstand drawer. Morgan printed everything out from his emails. I wonder if it would have been easier if everything was on my damn phone.

It’s not too thick of an envelope, but it still feels so heavy in my hands.

I open it up and begin to read. I groan as I continue on, not surprised in the least to read how disgusting and treacherous Betty and Francis’s kids are.

Francis’s assets were tied into Betty’s so they didn’t get anything when he passed away. I don’t remember much but about that time, everything was so insane and depressing that I didn’t pay attention. But that’s when the psychos started their nonsense against Betty.

I was already eighteen when she started having ‘episodes’ and the kids apparently bribed her doctors to sign off on her being unfit to make her own decisions. I press a hand to my mouth as I cry out. What the hell?

The next week she was in a home. By that time I was already in college and was busting my ass in my classes. Betty still had her cell phone and she had downplayed it a lot to me. Told me that she’s just having tests done and might not be available for a bit.

I trusted her, she told me she was fine.

Then they disconnected her phone. Took over her email accounts. Shut down her social media accounts. I came home and tried to see her in the home but was told that I’m not allowed through the doors and to not call or they’ll call the police.

I tried for weeks to call for any information. But whatever Betty’s kids did, the bribes and lies, and so much manipulation... Apparently I was stealing from Betty and trying to force her to adopt me and sign over power of attorney to me so that I can makehorribledecisions. Yet they were the ones that were doing it all.

It’s all right here. Proof of money being wired to the charge nurse at the nursing home, the psychiatrists, all of Betty’s doctors, and even the owner of the nursing home…

I wouldn’t be surprised if they had the cops in their pockets, too. Christ are these people the damn mob?

There’s also proof of tampering with a forged Will. That’s how they got the house and cars sold. How they were able to get everyone on their ‘side’.

Text message threads and emails. Who do we even go to with this? My heart is in my throat and my tears are dripping all over the pages that are scattered around my bed.

Betty was so lonely, so damn alone. She never spoke up for herself and that hurts my heart so badly. I’m just glad I was with her in the end, even if it was years later, or too late, I was there holding her hand. Kissing her clammy, cold skin. Telling her I loved her and that I was there.

I want to scream every time I recall Marissa telling me about how often Betty talked about me. How much she loved me and wished things were different. We can’t change the past, but we sure can do something now.

I flip to the last page and find a note from Andy, Morgan’s attorney, that he’s available for me to talk to for advice, anything I need and to give him a call when I’m ready.

I smile as I dial his number and press my phone to my ear.

I’m ready.

_____________

The days are passing in a blur, especially when Morgan’s out of town. I ended up taking the girls to the birthday party after Morgan made his special calls and I was able to sneak some pictures to send to him. Avery had a blast in the areas for ‘big kids’.

There was rock climbing, trampolines, and a jungle gym with slides they wore themselves out on.

I had half a mind to go join her, but alas, I was in the baby area. In the ball pits and little slides that Nessa and Tilly were obsessed with.

Waking up today with the three girls surrounding me, I feel at peace, at home. I still have no idea what to do about Betty and her children, but hopefully my meeting with Andy this next week helps put some things into perspective.

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