Patricia claimed it was not a big deal and said they were desperate because of debt, and then she blamed me for not helping them financially.
That moment made something inside me settle into place permanently.
“You risked all of us,” I said, “and we are done.”
They insisted I would come back to them like I always had, but this time I did not argue or explain anything.
I walked back inside and locked the door.
A few days later, I went to pick up my kids from school in Riverside and was told they had already been picked up.
My heart dropped as I realized immediately who had taken them.
I drove straight to my parents’ house in Chula Vista and found my children inside surrounded by toys and sweets, laughing like they were at a party.
Douglas and Patricia acted as if nothing was wrong and claimed they were just treating the kids.
I gathered my children and told them we were leaving, ignoring my parents’ attempts to make it seem harmless.
That night, after the kids were asleep, I told Caleb we needed to leave California for good.
He agreed without hesitation, and we decided to move to Asheville, North Carolina, where his parents lived.