I called the pediatrician first.
She told me to bring the girls back immediately and contacted a child-protection specialist. From there, everything moved much faster than I expected.
Thomas called me repeatedly.
Then the messages started.
You’re overreacting.
You’re filling their heads with nonsense.
And finally:
After what Michael did to you, you see monsters everywhere.
That message broke something inside me.
Because Thomas had spent years making himself look safe by comparing himself to my violent first husband.
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I had believed that because Thomas never shouted or hit us, he must be a good man.
I had been looking for the wrong warning signs.
The girls were interviewed by trained specialists while I waited outside. I wasn’t allowed to sit in the room or influence what they said.
Hours later, an investigator came to speak with me.
He was careful with his words, but his meaning was unmistakable.
