“Come get your worthless daughter and take her back,” my mother-in-law shouted my father as I lay broken at the bottom of the stairs after my husband shoved me down. “Your family will answer for it if she has even a scratch,” was the sole warning Dad offered her. They had no notion who my father really was, so they made fun of him.

I had stupidly confused his deep concern with unwanted judgement back then.

Now I finally understood the horrible truth behind his warnings.

Gabriel laid the official custody document flat on the bed between us.

“We have to decide whether we’re going to file our opposition tonight or wait until morning,” Gabriel said plainly.

“We answer tonight,” said Dad without a second’s hesitation.

I turned my head to my father, confused.

What does answering tonight mean for us?”I said.

“It means we find out the truth at once,” Dad said firmly.