Yesterday, Tuesday, after Paxton had a nap and ate his lunch, we sat in my recliner together and I told him his parents would be picking him up at about 4pm. He cried, but he didn't fall apart and beg me not to let them take him like he usually does, he just teared up and snuggled up and said he didn't want to go. I told him he'd be back, and we talked about all the fun stuff we'd do when he came back.
Close to 4 o'clock, I got a text from Jackie, Paxton's grandma. She said she just got a call from Paxton's dad and he told Jackie to tell me not to let Tara take Paxton. He and Tara were headed this way together when they got in a vicious verbal argument - with the twins in the car - and Tara pulled over and told their dad to get out. He did, and then he called Jackie, and she text me. "Don't let Tara take Paxton! Hide out at your cousin's house!! Go NOW!!!"
A minute later, Tara called. I didn't answer because I was thinking over grounds for refusing to let her take Pax, and the criminal aspects of that. I have no authority over Paxton, so I have no grounds for refusing to give him to his mother, and that would definitely be illegal. She wouldn't just let me say No Can Do and Goodbye. She'd pound on the door, screaming for her kid. She'd bust a window. She might call the police. I could be detained in handcuffs, if not arrested, and Tara would be going off about the whole situation while I was being questioned. And the cops might call child services, and they'd take forever getting here while all that other crap is happening. And Paxton and the twins would see all this. It would probably stick in Paxton's memory. Another trauma.
In the end, I'd never see Paxton again, that's for dang sure. So when Tara immediately called a second time, I answered. She said "I suppose you got a call to not give me Paxton. Well, let me tell you..."
I interrupted with what I had to tell her. I could hear the rage in her voice, so I sort of yelled at her to pull her car over, and we talked for about 10 or 15 minutes. Mostly I talked: I don't want to see anymore injuries on Paxton. If the little brother is doing it, get him some professional help. If you're doing it, I will do whatever I can to take all 3 kids. Let his father have time with him, it isn't favoritism, it's what your son needs. Don't ever fight in front of the kids, ever. Either separate or go back to marriage counseling. And if you're doing drugs, go to rehab maintenance. Faltering is understandable, being a drug-addicted mother is unforgivable.
And I pointed out that if Paxton was sent home all bruised and scratched up after his weekends with Uncle Frank, she'd want to kill me. She'd want me brutally tortured, and then dead and buried in a field. I told her I know what I'm talking about because I know the feeling.
What good our talk will do in the long-run, I don't know. She hugged me when she got here, and Paxton didn't completely fall apart when I buckled him in his car seat and said "See you next time, buddy." I hope there is a next time.
Tara says it's the 2 yr old brother. Paxton said so, too. Hard to believe.
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