Chapter 7 - LEO’S CLOTHES
The torn clothes came from the estate laundry discard pile.
Helena had told a housekeeper:
“Put him in something appropriate for work.”
The housekeeper complied.
Why?
Because Helena was Chair.
The woman cried during her interview.
She said:
“I knew it was wrong.”
“Why do it?”
“I thought Mr. Bellucci knew.”
I did not.
Then another question.
Where was Leo’s nanny?
Sent to pick up medication for him.
Who authorized the schedule change?
Helena.
She told the nanny I was in the garage and would watch Leo.
I was.
Far end.
Did I know?
No.
Then Helena had roughly twenty-five minutes with my son before I noticed.
In that period:
She told him he scratched the car.
Changed his clothes.
Put a cloth in his hand.
Made him clean the wheel.
Kicked over the bucket when dissatisfied.
Threatened no lunch.
Did she physically beat him?
No.
Did she strike him?
No.
Did she expose him to chemicals?
The soap was mild car wash.
Still inappropriate.
Did she force him to work long?
Less than twenty minutes.
Again.
No need to exaggerate.
The harm was coercion and fear.
Then child-welfare authorities became involved because of the threat to withhold food and forced inappropriate labor under adult authority.
Leo remained with me.
No question about parental fitness from that alone.
But they asked a question I disliked.
“Why did Helena have authority over your son’s schedule at the estate?”
“She didn’t.”
“Then why did staff think she did?”
Silence.
Exactly.
May you like
Informal power.
Again.
