Page 191 of The Moment We Know

Jacob glanced over at David, who gave him a big smile. “She’s right.”

Lauren waited until she had Jacob’s attention once more before continuing. “Now, this new super power might be something you need to use every day for a little while,” she said.

“I will? Why?”

“Well, you see, when your mom made some of her bad decisions, they resulted in consequences. Do you know what those are?”

He shook his head.

“They’re like getting a time-out at preschool. If you do something that’s ‘bad’, you probably get a time-out, right?”

“Right.”

“So, in the grown-up world, an adult can get a time-out, too, for doing something ‘bad’. Depending on what it is, they might even go to jail to make sure they don’t do it again, because it’s important for good people to be safe from bad people. This is especially true for children, who need protection the most. Sometimes people—including parents—go to jail for hurting their child, but sometimes they just get their parental rights taken away. And by that, I mean they’re no longer able to be in their child’s life, or see them, or help raise them.”

“Oh.”

“This is what happened with your mom, and even though she wasn’t the one to physically hurt you, she made it possible for Liam to hurt you, which is why you haven’t had a visitation with her for a while. It’s also why you won’t be seeing her in the future. It was decided—by people whose job it is to protect children—that for your well-being and safety, you should live with your dad all the time and no longer have visits with your mom.”

Jacob blinked at Lauren and swallowed hard, but didn’t say anything.

David watched as Jacob struggled, but not knowing with what. Confusion, sadness, or fear? Maybe all three?

Lauren reached over and took Jacob’s hands in hers. “I know it’s probably hard for you to understand all this, and you might find yourself feeling sad or missing your mom. That’s perfectly normal. It might be something you want to talk about, and if you do, then your dad can bring you here and you and I can talk as much as you want, okay? I can help you, because that’s my super power, remember?”

Jacob sniffed and nodded.

She squeezed his hands. “You might also find yourself feeling like what’s happening is your fault, because it’s really easy to blame ourselves. However, it isn’t your fault, and that’s where your brave super power will come in handy. You’ll need to use it so you don’t blame yourself for something you didn’t do, and you’ll also need to use it to help adjust to this change in your life and any challenges it might bring.”

He sniffed again. “Okay.”

She gave him a comforting, You’re going to be okay smile. “Now, which part of this is your fault?”

His mouth pursed. “No part?”

He still sounded a little uncertain, so she said, firmly, “That’s right. No part of this is your fault. It’s the fault of adults who acted badly and made bad decisions. Now, repeat after me: This isn’t my fault.”

“This isn’t my fault.”

“Jacob, Jacob, Jacob. Say it like you mean it.”

“This isn’t my fault!”

“That was pretty good, but try it one more time, using your super power. Really dig deep.”

“This isn’t my fault!” he cried out with impressive force.

“There you go. That’s what I’m talking about,” Lauren said with approval. “That’s how you say it, whenever you start to think it is your fault, okay?”

“Okay.”

Letting go of his hands, she reached back to unclasp the black leather cord hanging around her neck, with the ocean-colored stone dangling from it. “Do you remember when I told you this was an aquamarine crystal, known for its calming properties?” she asked, as she held it up.

After a brief pause, he nodded.

“Well, it’s also known for helping with feelings of self-doubt, overcoming fears in difficult situations, and giving courage when faced with changes or … loss,” Lauren continued, leaning forward to loop the cord around his neck and secure it, before tucking the stone underneath his shirt. “So, this will give you and your new super power a boost, because we can always use a little help.”

Jacob glanced down at where the outline of the crystal was visible on his narrow chest, then looked at Lauren with surprise. “But it’s yours.”

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