PART 5 – “THE POLICE FOUND MY EX-HUSBAND’S PLAN — AND THEN HIS LITTLE GIRL ASKED TO SEE ME ALONE!”

Vasiliki Manoli was thirty-two years old.

I first saw her in a small office, in the presence of my lawyer.

He had long brown hair, a simple black coat, and eyes red from crying.

She didn’t look like the woman I had imagined.

She didn’t wear expensive jewelry.

He wasn’t smiling ironically.

She didn’t have the confidence of someone who believed she had won.

She looked terrified.

“Anna…”

I raised my hand.

“Don’t talk to me like we know each other.”

Lower your head.

“You are right”.

I sat across from her.

“Why did you want to see me?”

She took a tissue out of her bag.

“Because I can’t sleep since I found out what happened.”

“My children almost died.”

“I know.”

“No. You don’t know.”

My voice was shaking.

“You didn’t see Nikolas with tubes in his hands. You didn’t hear Eleni apologize for not being able to feed two babies.”

Vasiliki started to cry.

I didn’t feel sorry for her.

Not yet.

“Dimitris told me you were a bad mother,” he said.

I felt angry.

“Naturally”.

“He told me you didn’t want the children. That you were always leaving them to others.”

“And you believed him?”

“At first, yes.”

“Why;”

Look at me.

“Because I wanted to believe him.”

Her answer surprised me.

He didn’t try to justify himself.

“He told me he wanted to get custody,” she continued.

“And you agreed?”

“I thought he was trying to protect the children.”

“But;”

“But then he started saying strange things.”

He leaned forward.

“He said that people always believe what they see first.”

“What does this mean;”

“That if someone were to come forward first as the parent who discovered a problem, everyone would consider them a savior.”

I felt goosebumps.

“And the children?”

Vasiliki lowered her eyes.

“He never told me he would leave them alone.”

She took out her cell phone.

“I have something you need to hear.”

My lawyer intervened.

“If it is evidence, you should hand it over to the appropriate authorities.”

“I’ve already handed it over,” Vasiliki said. “I just want him to know what kind of person he is.”

Sophia looked at me.

“Anna, you don’t need to hear it now.”

But I wanted to.

“Put it on.”

Vasiliki pressed play.

Dimitris’s voice filled the room.

“You don’t understand, Vasso. Anna has created the image of the perfect mother. It must be proven that she is not.”

Vasiliki sounded worried.

“And how are you going to do that?”

“A situation will be found that he will not be able to explain.”

“Are you talking about the children?”

A pause.

Then Dimitris’ voice:

“Don’t meddle in things that don’t concern you.”

I felt my blood run cold.

The Queen stopped breeding.

“I didn’t know what he meant.”

I didn’t answer.

“I realized it when I saw the news about the children in the hospital.”

He bowed his head.

“And then I went to the police.”

I looked at her.

“Why didn’t you do it sooner?”

“Because I was stupid. Because I was afraid. Because I thought it wouldn’t really hurt.”

For the first time, I saw something beyond fear on her face.

Guilt.

Real guilt.

“I can’t tell you that I forgive you,” I told her.

“I’m not asking for it.”

“But if you know anything else, you have to say it.”

He nodded.

“I will do it.”

That night I returned to the hospital.

Petros had started eating small amounts again, with the guidance of doctors.

Nikolas remained under observation, but his condition was improving.

Eleni was sitting next to me and drawing.

“What are you making?” I asked her.

“Our house.”

I looked at the painting.

It was a small house.

With three windows.

A red door.

And four people.

I.

Helen.

Nicholas.

Peter.

There was no fifth person.

“Why didn’t you draw Dad?”

Helen stopped.

“Because I don’t know where to put him.”

I felt my eyes fill with tears.

“You don’t have to decide now, my love.”

Look at me.

“Mom, can we have a home where we won’t be afraid?”

I hugged her.

“That’s what I’ll try to give you.”

The next day, my lawyer called.

“Anna, there are developments.”

“What happened;”

“Dimitris, through his lawyer, denies that he intentionally abandoned the children.”

“And how does he explain what happened?”

“He claims he had arranged for someone else to take care of them.”

“Who;”

“A relative of his.”

I felt a tightness.

“Which relative?”

Sophia fell silent.

Then he said:

“His mother.”

I froze.

My mother-in-law.

The woman who had tried to convince me that I was unfit for her son.

The woman who once told me:

“A nurse who works nights can’t properly raise three children.”

“Sophia…”

“Yes;”

“If his mother knew the children were alone, then why didn’t she go help them?”

My lawyer replied in a low voice:

“That’s exactly what he should explain.”

CONTINUED IN PART 6…