During family court, Adrian testified about his own failure.

Seraphine’s lawyer asked:

“You delegated parenting authority to your wife?”

“Yes.”

“You trusted her?”

“Yes.”

“You repeatedly told Maisie to obey her?”

“Yes.”

“So Seraphine reasonably understood she had authority to discipline Maisie.”

“To discipline.”

“Who defined the limits?”

Adrian paused.

“I should have.”

That answer hurt him.

But he continued:

“Authority to set bedtime is not authority to confine a child with a newborn and fabricate danger.”

The distinction held.

Then Seraphine’s lawyer asked:

“Did you ever describe Maisie as jealous?”

“Yes.”

“Difficult?”

“Yes.”

“Did you tell Seraphine Maisie needed consequences?”

“Yes.”

Adrian did not run from it.

Later Maisie’s therapist told him:

“You did well not rewriting yourself as the perfect father.”

Adrian replied:

“I wasn’t.”

“No.”

Then:

“But you can become a safer one.”

That mattered more.

---