“Your parents have been arrested,” Daniel said quietly, pulling a chair close to my bedside. They were taken into custody at the venue after giving their statements to the police. I closed my eyes, processing the information. Part of me felt relief. Another part felt the old familiar guilt that my mother had instilled in me from childhood.
The voice that said I should protect family no matter what they did. Daniel must have seen something in my expression. They assaulted you and endangered our daughter. There’s no scenario where that’s acceptable, and no amount of family loyalty should make you question that. I know, I whispered. I just keep thinking about how this happened at Bridget’s wedding.
I ruined her special day. They ruined it, Daniel corrected firmly. Your parents, with their selfish, abusive behavior. You were sitting at your assigned table eating dinner while pregnant. Nothing about what happened was your fault. A nurse entered to check my vitals, and Daniel stepped out to make more phone calls.
When he returned, he had an update that shifted everything again. “The venue manager sent over the full security footage to the police,” he explained, settling back into the chair. “The cameras captured audio, too. Your mother threatening you, the deliberate nature of both attacks. The district attorney’s office has already reviewed it.
