She lost custody of Jaden and only gets visitation every other weekend. She works at a fast food restaurant and looks miserable every time I see her. The trailer park is a rough place with drug dealers and domestic violence calls being common. Cheryl’s new boyfriend, Brent, is unemployed and has a criminal record.

He’s abusive both emotionally and physically, but Cheryl feels she has no better options. Her job at the fast food restaurant is the only work she could find after being fired from the marketing firm. Her boss there had seen the video and decided that her behavior made her unsuitable for a client-f facing position.

We can’t have someone with your reputation representing our company. He told her, “What you did to your sister shows a complete lack of professionalism and basic human decency.” Cheryl’s visitation with Jaden is supervised because of concerns about her living situation and her emotional instability. She’s required to meet with him at a family visitation center where social workers monitor their interactions.

The supervised visits are heartbreaking for her. Jaden, who’s now 7 months old, barely knows her. He cries when she tries to hold him and reaches for Gregory when he arrives to pick him up. The social workers have noted in their reports that Cheryl seems more concerned with her own emotional needs than with what’s best for her son. Gregory remarried a wonderful woman named Kelly who treats Jaden like her own son.

They’re happy and Jaden is thriving. Kelly is a pediatric nurse who has experience with children from difficult backgrounds. She’s been patient and loving with Jaden, helping him adjust to his new life. She’s also been supportive of Gregory’s decision to maintain contact with me, understanding that Jaden needs to know his aunt and cousin.

The four of us, Gregory, Kelly, Jaden, and Paige, often have family dinners together. It’s the kind of loving, supportive family environment that I never had growing up, and it makes me incredibly grateful for the family I’ve chosen. Mitchell and I are stronger than ever. What he did that day showed me what real love looks like. He didn’t just comfort me, he fought for me.

He made sure my family faced consequences for their actions.

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