Chapter 4 - The Legal Battle Begins
I hired David Chen, an experienced family law attorney recommended by Mrs. Vega’s son.
Sitting in his downtown office three days later, David reviewed the paperwork Marianne’s high-priced attorney had served on us. Marianne wasn't just asking for visitation; she was petitioning the Olmsted County District Court for temporary custody of Lucy, Owen, and Miles, citing "maternal burnout, severe emotional instability following spousal bereavement, and gross negligence during a life-threatening domestic emergency."
“This is a classic control play,” David explained, sliding his glasses up his nose. “She’s using your grief over Colin and the publicity of the blizzard incident to frame you as a overwhelmed widow who cannot keep her children safe.”
“I saved my children,” I said, my hands clenching into fists in my lap. “I gave Lucy the training. I called 911. I got them out.”
“I know that, Rebecca. The audio recording from Mrs. Vega is powerful evidence,” David replied. “But family court judges look at holistic environments. Marianne has wealth, a five-bedroom home, and no financial strain. She will argue that her home offers superior stability while you recover from grief and trauma.”
“What do we do?”
“We hit back with cold, indisputable facts,” David said firmly. “We gather medical records, daycare testimonials, employer statements, and expert witness testimony regarding carbon-monoxide toxicity. We prove that your actions were not only rational, but heroic under extreme physical impairment.”
The court date was set for three weeks out. In the meantime, the judge granted Marianne temporary supervised weekend visitation—two hours every Saturday at a neutral family center.
The first Saturday, when I dropped Lucy and the twins off at the visitation center, Marianne stood in the lobby dressed in expensive cashmere.
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“This doesn’t have to be a war, Rebecca,” Marianne said softly as the social worker took the twins’ strollers. “If you just come live in my house, I will drop the custody petition immediately. I just want my family protected.”
“You don’t want to protect us, Marianne,” I answered, looking her dead in the eye. “You want to own us. And I will never let you use Colin’s memory to steal my children.”
