Neither Marilyn nor Grant offered a convincing response. Instead, I asked about the belongings missing from Eli’s bedroom and went into the garage to investigate.
Beside the lawn mower were two cardboard boxes containing Eli’s clothes, books, toys, and winter jacket. Among them was the little baseball trophy he had earned during his first season, when Grant had proudly spent countless weekends teaching him how to play.
I carried the trophy back into the kitchen and demanded to know who had packed everything. Marilyn admitted that she had helped Eli prepare for however long he might need to stay with Ruth.
“He’s not going anywhere. You don’t get to solve our financial problems by removing our son from his own home.”
Marilyn argued that having twins meant our family circumstances had changed and sacrifices were unavoidable. I agreed that adjustments were necessary, but made it clear that Eli’s right to live with his parents was not negotiable.
