The divorce itself was finalized, but their arguments over custody were far from settled.
Fabian wanted the children to spend most of their time with him.
Emily wanted to keep their current arrangement.
For now, the children lived primarily at her house and saw their father according to a temporary court-approved schedule.
I tried not to interfere in their disagreements.
I knew the children needed both parents, and I had no desire to make an already difficult situation worse.
But I also knew Fabian.
He could be charming when things went his way.
When they didn’t, his voice got louder, his words became cruel, and everyone around him learned to be careful.
I’d seen Emily apologize for things she hadn’t done just to make an argument stop.
Three weeks before this incident, she called me late at night, crying so hard I could barely understand her.
“Mom, can you come get the kids?”
