When Mr. Mason arrived, Michael and Paula were sitting on the steps in front of my house. They immediately stood up when they saw the lawyer.
“Who is he?” Michael asked with concern.
“My lawyer?” I asked, standing in the doorway.
« Mr. Mason, these are Monica’s parents. »
The lawyer greeted them politely but kept a serious expression on his face.
« Sir, I understand there has been a family dispute. Could you please tell me your version of events? »
Paula immediately began to speak with bated breath: « Sir, my mother-in-law took my daughter without my consent. This is kidnapping. I want her back immediately. »
“I understand,” the lawyer said calmly. “And what was Mrs. Emily’s reason for taking the child?”
Michael and Paula looked at each other nervously.
“It was a misunderstanding,” Michael finally said. “What misunderstanding?” I asked, feeling my blood pressure rise.
“My wife cut our daughter’s hair, and my mother got upset,” Michael explained, completely downplaying the situation.
« I see. Could you give me more details about this hairstyle? » Mr. Mason asked.
Paula intervened aggressively. « I cut her hair because it was dirty and tangled. She’s my daughter and I have the right to decide what she wants to do with her hair. »
Mr. Mason took notes. « Did the child consent to this hairstyle? »
« She doesn’t have to agree. She’s 6 years old, » Paula shouted.
« I understand. Could you show me the baby? »
“Emily won’t let us meet her,” Paula was losing patience.
The lawyer looked at me. “Mrs. Emily, could you show me your granddaughter?”
I went to get Monika. As she emerged from the house, holding my hand, I heard Mr. Mason gasp. My granddaughter’s completely shaved head, with only minor wounds visible, was shocking.
“Good morning, Monika,” the lawyer said in a gentle voice. “I’m Mr. Elias. Could you tell me how you feel?”
Monika hid behind my legs, but replied quietly, « I’m scared. »
« Are you afraid of what? »
“My mom will punish me for upsetting everyone.”
Mr. Mason looked sternly at Paula. « A child is often afraid of punishment. »
“All children are afraid of punishment,” Paula replied defensively.
Monica, the lawyer continued. « Who cut your hair? »
« Mom with Dad’s machine. »
“And what did you feel when it happened?”
Monika’s eyes filled with tears. « I’m so sad. I cried so much and asked her to stop, but Mom said ugly girls cry a lot. »
Michael paled. For the first time, he heard directly from his daughter what had happened.
Mr. Mason continued his questioning with professional patience. “Did your mommy ever tell you you were ugly?”
Monika nodded.
“She told me that if I told anyone, she would cut off my eyelashes too.”
There was absolute silence in the room. Even Michael and Paula’s lawyer looked embarrassed.
“Your eyelashes?” asked Mr. Mason.
“Yes, and that girls without eyelashes look like monsters.”
The silence was deafening.
Mr. Mason closed his notebook. « People, what this child is describing to me constitutes psychological abuse. Threatening a minor, using degrading insults, and using physical punishment as a form of control are all considered forms of abuse. »
“That’s not bullying,” Paula cried desperately. “That’s discipline.”
« Ma’am, calling a six-year-old girl ugly is not discipline. Threatening to cut her eyelashes is not discipline. It’s cruel. »
Michael finally found his voice. « Sir, I understand this looks bad, but Paula meant no harm. »
“Intentions don’t matter when the result is psychological trauma,” the lawyer replied firmly. “This child is showing clear signs of post-traumatic stress.”
“What signs?” Michael asked, genuinely confused.
« Excessive fear of punishment, separation anxiety, emotional regression, and nightmares. Your grandmother informed me that the child had many nightmares last night. »
Monika pulled the dress on for me. “Grandma, can I come inside?” she asked.
“Of course, honey.”
When Monica went inside, Mr. Mason continued talking to Michael and Paula.
« People, let me be clear. If you try to force this child back or call the police to accuse her of kidnapping, I will immediately file a child abuse report. I have witnesses, photos of the child, and her own testimony. »
“Witnesses?” Michael asked nervously.
“Mr. Jonathan witnessed the entire confrontation yesterday, as did Miss Brenda, and I have information that other family members have been observing for months regarding disturbing behavior.”
Paula broke down. For the first time since I’d known her, she looked truly scared.
« I didn’t want to hurt her. I just wanted her to be obedient. »
“Madam, a six-year-old girl obeys out of love and respect, not out of fear and threats.”
Michael approached the lawyer. « What do we need to do to resolve this? »
« First, Ms. Paula needs professional psychological help. Second, the child needs therapy to overcome the trauma. Third, you must learn proper parenting techniques. And fourth, Ms. Emily will retain temporary custody of the child until a child psychologist determines that Monika can safely return home. »
“Pre-trial detention?” Paula was concerned. “For how long?”
« As long as necessary. This is non-negotiable. What if we refuse? » Paula asked challengingly.
Mr. Mason looked her straight in the eye. « In that case, the case will require social services, and the judge will decide your daughter’s future. I assure you, the judge will not look kindly on a mother who shaves her six-year-old daughter’s head and threatens to cut off her eyelashes. »
Michael put his hands on his head. “How did we get to this?”
“This happened because you allowed the abuse to continue for months,” the lawyer replied bluntly. “Ms. Emily informed me that this was not an isolated incident.”
“What do you mean?” Michael asked.
« Your daughter told family members a month ago that her mother punished her by cutting her hair whenever she misbehaved. This is a pattern of behavior, not a single mistake. »
Michael looked at Paula with horror.
« Is this true? »
Paula started crying. « I thought it would be a good way to teach her that actions have consequences. Cutting her hair is a punishment. »
Michael was beginning to realize the scale of the problem.
Mr. Mason intervened. « Ladies and gentlemen, I have to go, but I want to be clear about what happens next. Monica is staying with her grandmother until further notice. Please seek professional help immediately, and any attempt to have unsupervised contact with the child will be considered a breach of the terms. »
Paula broke down even more, and Michael stood there looking lost.
“Okay,” Michael said, his voice breaking. “I understand. We’ll do what you said. But it will take some time.”
« Time? Time for what? » I asked in disbelief.
“Time to fix the mess you and your wife made,” I said. “Time to make sure my granddaughter is safe.”
They both left, defeated and silent. But Monica stayed with me. She was safe, and that was all that mattered.
That night, as I was putting Monika to bed, she looked at me with those innocent eyes and asked, “Grandma, do you think I’ll ever be able to live with Mom and Dad again?”
I had no answers. But I knew that no matter what, I would do everything in my power to protect her.
And I will keep this promise for the rest of my life.
The following days were filled with tension and uncertainty. The trial was only the beginning, and the legal battles that lay ahead were expected to be grueling. But for the first time in a long time, I felt hope. Monica, despite everything, was beginning to heal. She laughed more often, and her once-constant fear of her mother slowly faded as she spent her days in the safety of my home.
Michael and Paula complied with the court’s order for therapy, though progress seemed slow. Tensions still arose between them, and the atmosphere was thick with unresolved anger. Michael, though deeply remorseful, struggled with the weight of his decisions, and Paula, when seeking help, too often became defensive and refused to face the depth of her actions.
But that’s how it goes sometimes, isn’t it? It’s never easy. Healing never comes quickly, especially when the wounds are deep. For me, the hardest part was watching my son—the man I raised and loved—still fail to grasp the full scope of what had happened. He was blind to the slow erosion of his daughter’s spirit, too consumed with trying to keep peace with Paula to notice the damage. Even when he was undergoing therapy himself, there was still a gap. Part of him was still afraid to confront the truth about his marriage, about Paula, about everything.
But the truth had already been told. Monika had told her story and was no longer afraid to speak it. I made sure of that. She had spent months in the shadows, doubting herself, afraid of her own mother. Now, as she sat with me, coloring at the kitchen table or watching her favorite cartoons in the living room, she was beginning to regain the joy that had once been stolen from her.
One afternoon, the phone rang, and it was Michael. His voice sounded different. The defensive tone was gone, replaced by an almost hesitant one.
“Mom, can I talk to you?” he asked.
I gestured for Monica to go outside and play and sat down by the phone.
“I’m listening, Michael,” I said in a calm voice.
« I’ve been thinking a lot about everything. About how I’m letting go. I… I don’t know how to fix this, but I want to try. »
« Trying isn’t enough anymore, Michael. You’ve had years to try, and what happened? Your daughter was hurt, and it won’t just go away. »
« I know. I… I know, » he muttered, his voice breaking. « I don’t expect everything to return to normal overnight. But I will fight for her. I am going to keep her safe from now on. Even if that means… even if that means something drastic. I will do whatever it takes. »
I let his words sink in, unsure if they meant anything or if they were just another attempt to reassure me. But for the first time, I heard a quiet conviction in his voice.
« I’ll be there for her, Mom. She deserves to be happy again. She deserves to feel safe with both of us. »
I sighed. It was the beginning of something, but it wasn’t enough. Not yet. I wanted to believe him, but it would take time, not just words.
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