Chapter 4 - Building the Wall
The next forty-eight hours were a blur of adrenaline and fear. I didn't sleep. Every creak of the floorboards in our house made me jump.
First, I called Sarah Jenkins. Sarah had been Emma’s best friend since college and was a powerhouse family law attorney in our city. When I told her what happened, I could hear her jaw hit her desk through the phone.
"I am on it," Sarah said, her voice dropping into a tone of absolute war. "David, Patricia is a master manipulator, but she has crossed a line that she cannot claw her way back from. I am filing an emergency petition for a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) today. We will get a lifetime order of protection."
While Sarah worked the legal angles, I worked on the physical ones.
I called a security company. Within four hours, they had installed a ring of high-definition cameras around my property, motion-activated floodlights, and heavy-duty deadbolts on every door. I changed the security codes, the Wi-Fi passwords, and even the locks on the garage.
Next, I went to Sophie’s school. I met directly with Principal Davis and her homeroom teacher, Mrs. Gable. I handed them copies of the police report, the arrest record, and the pending restraining order.
"Patricia Vance is not, under any circumstances, allowed near my daughter," I told them, my voice steel. "She is not on the pickup list. If she even walks onto school property, you call 911 immediately, then you call me."
Principal Davis looked at the photo of Patricia I provided. "We understand completely, Mr. Mercer. We will flag Sophie’s file. Only you, or Sarah Jenkins, whom you've listed as an emergency contact, can pick her up."
When I got home, I found Sophie sitting on the living room floor, drawing. She wasn't drawing her usual bright sunshine and horses. She was drawing a big, dark box with a tiny girl inside.
I sat down on the floor next to her, crossing my legs. "Hey, Soph."
"Is Grandma coming back?" she asked, not looking up from her crayon.
"No, sweetie. She is never, ever coming back here. The police arrested her, and I am making sure she can never get near you again."
"Why did she do it, Dad? She said... she said you were too sad to love me. She said you were going to leave me like Mommy did."
A tear slipped down my cheek, but I wiped it away quickly. I reached out and pulled her into my lap, wrapping my arms tightly around her.
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"Mommy didn't leave us because she wanted to, Soph. She was sick. And I am never, ever going to leave you. You are my whole world. Your grandmother told you those lies because she wanted to hurt us. But she can’t. We are a team, remember? You and me."
"You and me," Sophie whispered, burying her face in my chest.
