Chapter 13 - THE RESTRAINING ORDER
Faced with the terrifying prospect of a televised criminal trial and felony convictions that would permanently ruin their social standing in Ohio, my family folded like cheap lawn chairs. Within ten minutes, shaking pens scratched their signatures across the consent judgment and the permanent restraining order documents.
The terms were absolute: zero contact via phone, text, social media, or in-person visits for a minimum of ten years, backed by immediate arrest and mandatory jail time upon any violation. As I retrieved the signed papers and slid them back into my briefcase, my mother let out a bitter, choked sob, asking if I could ever find it in my heart to love them. “Love requires mutual respect, Mom,” I replied quietly. “You spent all your currency on entitlement.” I turned on my heel and walked out of the restaurant without looking back.
