Chapter 7 - The School Office
The principal called Natalie at 10:15 on Monday morning.
“Ms. Carter, your mother is here.”
Natalie stood immediately.
“Do not let her see Lena.”
“We haven’t.”
“What does she want?”
“She says she has temporary family authority because CPS is investigating you.”
Natalie grabbed her purse.
“I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
When she arrived, Diane was sitting in the main office wearing a cream suit and pearls.
She looked composed.
Respectable.
Exactly like the woman who could persuade strangers she was only worried about a child.
Diane stood.
“Finally.”
Natalie ignored her.
She addressed Principal Evans.
“My mother has no custody authority.”
“I understand.”
“She may not remove Lena from school.”
“We have already confirmed that.”
Diane gave a dismissive laugh.
“You’re embarrassing yourself.”
Natalie turned.
“No.”
“You are trying to take my daughter.”
“I am trying to protect my granddaughter.”
“You told her she wasn’t your granddaughter.”
Diane’s expression tightened.
The principal looked away.
Diane lowered her voice.
“You forced my hand.”
“No.”
“I took Lena home.”
“You retaliated.”
Diane stepped closer.
“You always do this.”
“Do what?”
“You make everything about your feelings.”
Natalie almost smiled.
“My feelings?”
“You canceled the family reunion.”
“You turned Brian against me.”
“You told CPS I lied.”
“You did lie.”
Diane’s jaw tightened.
Then she said:
“You think adopting that child made you a mother.”
Natalie became very still.
Principal Evans looked shocked.
Diane continued.
“You don’t understand what real motherhood is.”
Natalie looked at the woman who had raised her.
The woman she had spent years rescuing financially.
The woman she once believed would eventually love Lena if given enough time.
Something inside Natalie finally became completely clear.
“I understand enough to know a mother doesn’t deliberately make her child feel disposable.”
Diane recoiled.
“You’re comparing me to you?”
“No.”
“I’m making sure I never become you.”
For once, Diane had nothing immediate to say.
Then the office door opened.
Rebecca Sloan entered with another woman.
Diane blinked.
“What are you doing here?”
Rebecca introduced the woman.
“Ms. Carter, this is investigator Monica Reyes.”
“Investigator for what?”
“False information submitted in a child welfare report.”
Diane went pale.
Natalie said nothing.
Monica opened a folder.
“We’d like to discuss the photograph you submitted.”
Diane recovered quickly.
“I don’t know what she told you.”
Monica placed the image on the desk.
“Is this Ms. Natalie Carter’s home?”
Diane looked at it.
“Yes.”
Natalie watched her mother lie without hesitation.
Monica placed a second photograph beside it.
Thanksgiving.
Same wall.
Same painting.
Diane’s basement.
Diane’s face changed.
And for the first time, she understood that this conflict was no longer happening inside the family.
There were records now.
May you like
Witnesses.
And consequences.
