Chapter 17 - The Lie Lauren Told
The CPS investigation moved quickly once they spoke with Grace.
They interviewed Lauren, my parents, and even spoke with Grace’s teacher. Within a week, they closed the case with “unfounded” on our side and opened a new one regarding what happened at my mother’s house.
Lauren’s lie had backfired.
But she didn’t stop.
She started telling people that I had “coached” Grace to lie to CPS. She claimed I was trying to “steal” the family by turning everyone against her.
Some relatives believed her. Others stayed quiet.
One afternoon, I received a message from an aunt I hadn’t spoken to in years.
Aunt: Lauren sent me screenshots. She said you’re trying to take Grace away from the family and that you’re unstable. Is any of this true?
I stared at the message for a long time.
Then I replied with one of the photos of Grace’s broken glasses and a short message:
Me: This is what Lauren did to my daughter. Everything else is noise.
I didn’t hear back from that aunt.
That night, I sat with Grace while she colored.
She looked up at me and asked, “Is Aunt Lauren still saying bad things about us?”
I didn’t want to lie to her.
“Yes,” I said gently. “She is. But that doesn’t make them true.”
Grace was quiet for a while.
Then she said, “I wish she would just stop.”
I reached over and smoothed her hair.
“Me too, baby. Me too.”
But deep down, I knew Lauren wasn’t going to stop on her own.
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She was only going to get worse.
And I needed to be ready.
