And several of the videos she had sent my son began only after the argument was already underway.
The court did not have to guess what happened on the night of the snow.
The doorbell camera showed it.
The judge watched my grandson knock on his own front door while his coat remained inside.
Then came the recording of my daughter-in-law opening the door and asking whether he was ready to apologize.
Her attorney stopped describing it as a misunderstanding after that.
The judge left primary temporary custody with my son and ordered that my daughter-in-law have only supervised contact while the investigation and family proceedings continued. The criminal side was separate, and I learned quickly not to expect every consequence at once.
My grandson did not celebrate.
He asked whether his mother hated him.
My son looked at me as though I might know what to say.
I didn’t answer for him.
