Chapter 16 - Family TherapyThey began family counseling the following Tuesday.
Not because a judge ordered it.
Because Jayden asked.
The therapist, Dr. Aaron Mitchell, met first with Marcus and Tasha.
Then with Jayden.
Later, Maya and Eli joined select sessions because the conflict had affected them too.
At the first session Dr. Mitchell placed five chairs in a loose circle.
“No one speaks for anyone else,” he said.
Jayden gave Marcus a pointed look.
Marcus raised both hands.
“Understood.”
Dr. Mitchell asked each person to describe what happened with the six hundred dollars in one sentence.
Marcus went first.
“I sent money for my son and discovered most of it had been used for other things without my permission.”
Tasha said, “I used money inside my household according to what I believed all three children urgently needed.”
Jayden said, “I asked Mom to share it and then got scared Dad would be mad.”
Maya said, “I thought Marcus wanted my backpack back.”
Eli stared at his sneakers.
Dr. Mitchell waited.
“What about you?”
Eli whispered, “I didn’t wear my new shoes for two days.”
Tasha’s face collapsed.
“Why?”
“Because I thought they were Jayden’s.”
Marcus shut his eyes.
There it was.
The cost nobody had calculated.
Dr. Mitchell looked at Marcus.
“What do you want Eli to know?”
Marcus turned toward him.
“That those shoes are yours.”
Eli looked up.
“And?”
Marcus swallowed.
“That I’m sorry I made you feel like you took something.”
Eli nodded.
Marcus continued.
“You didn’t.”
Maya asked, “But Mom did?”
Tasha winced.
Dr. Mitchell did not rescue her.
Tasha answered.
“I used money without asking your brother’s dad.”
“So you stole it?”
“No,” Marcus said too quickly.
Dr. Mitchell held up a hand.
“Tasha?”
She chose her words.
“I made a decision I did not have permission to make.”
Maya frowned.
“Isn’t that stealing?”
Tasha breathed slowly.
“Sometimes adults disagree about what words fit.”
Marcus added, “Your mom did spend the money on things kids needed.”
Maya looked surprised.
Marcus continued.
“My problem is that she didn’t ask me before changing what we agreed the money was for.”
Eli asked, “So Mom’s bad?”
“No.”
Marcus and Tasha answered together.
Dr. Mitchell smiled slightly.
“Good.”
He looked at the children.
“People can make wrong choices without becoming bad people.”
Jayden glanced at his parents.
That seemed important to him.
The sessions continued.
Marcus admitted he sometimes felt replaced when Jayden praised things Tasha bought.
Tasha admitted she felt judged every time Marcus asked for a receipt.
Jayden admitted he lied about liking expensive shoes because disappointing Marcus felt worse than wearing something he did not want.
Marcus cried for the first time.
Not dramatically.
Just one tear he tried to wipe before anyone noticed.
Jayden noticed.
“So I can tell you I don’t like stuff?”
“Yes.”
“You won’t get mad?”
“I might get disappointed.”
Jayden smiled nervously.
Marcus continued.
“But that’s mine to handle.”
Tasha looked at Dr. Mitchell.
“Everybody keeps saying that.”
“What?”
“That feelings belong to the adult having them.”
“Because children often become experts at managing adults.”
Jayden nodded.
Maya did too.
Eli said, “Mom gets quiet when bills come.”
Tasha looked embarrassed.
Dr. Mitchell asked, “What do you do then?”
Eli shrugged.
“I don’t ask for snacks.”
Tasha’s eyes filled.
“Baby.”
Dr. Mitchell looked at her.
“This is why financial stress becomes family stress even without anyone discussing numbers.”
Tasha nodded.
“I’m working on it.”
“Good.”
Outside therapy, things improved slowly.
Kelvin’s wage withholding began.
The first automatic payment was three hundred eighty-four dollars.
Tasha stared at the deposit notification for nearly a minute.
Not because it solved everything.
Because for once, money arrived without begging.
She used part for Maya and Eli’s lunch accounts.
Part for Eli’s inhaler copay.
Part toward debt.
She sent Kelvin a simple message.
Payment received. Thank you.
He replied:
Court took it. Don’t thank me.
Tasha almost responded angrily.
Then deleted her draft.
Responsibility did not need gratitude.
Marcus began shopping with Jayden rather than sending large lump sums.
They bought the basketball together.
Jayden chose a thirty-eight-dollar one.
Marcus paid twenty.
Jayden paid eighteen.
“Why not half?” Jayden asked.
“Tax.”
“You’re cheap.”
“You’re welcome.”
They laughed.
The joke felt easy.
Then one evening Jayden came home from school angry.
He threw his backpack onto the sofa.
Tasha looked up.
“What happened?”
“Nothing.”
She almost accepted it.
Then remembered.
“Do you want me to leave it alone, or is ‘nothing’ hiding something?”
Jayden stared at her.
“Dad came to school.”
Tasha frowned.
“For what?”
“He talked to Ms. Carter.”
“That’s okay.”
“No.”
Jayden’s eyes hardened.
“He asked if I should live with him more.”
Tasha went still.
“Did he?”
“Yes.”
All the progress in her body turned immediately into fear.
“What exactly did he ask?”
Jayden shook his head.
“I don’t know. I heard them.”
Tasha’s heart pounded.
Despite mediation.
Despite therapy.
Despite promises.
Marcus was exploring custody behind her back.
She picked up her phone.
Then stopped.
The old Tasha would have called furious.
The new one needed facts.
She texted Marcus:
Did you ask Ms. Carter whether Jayden should live with you more?
His reply came two minutes later.
Yes. We need to talk.
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