He said he thought Richard wanted to frighten me into staying.
I said, “That’s already insane.”
“I know.”
“Then why did you go along with it?”
He cried.
I didn’t comfort him.
Months later, prosecutors decided not to charge Brandon in Richard’s death after reviewing physical evidence, witness statements, and the emergency call.
They concluded the shove happened while he was trying to stop Richard from attacking Mom.
That did not make Brandon innocent of everything else.
It just meant Richard’s death wasn’t treated as a crime.
Mom and I moved out of that house within two months.
Neither of us wanted it.
She sold it.
After debts and fees, there wasn’t as much money as people might imagine.
Still, it was enough for her to rent a small apartment.
I moved into the place I’d already planned to share with my coworkers.
Mom hated that.
Not because she wanted control.
