“Protecting them from what?” I asked. “From a grandmother who loves them? From a woman who only wanted to be part of their lives?”
I shook my head. “You weren’t protecting anyone. You were feeding your own sense of superiority.”
Marlene, seeing that all was lost, tried one last approach. Her voice became soft, almost pleading. “Helen, I know things got out of control tonight, but think about Chloe. Think about your granddaughter. Do you really want to keep her away from you because of this?”
It was the wrong move.
“Do I want to keep her away from me?” I repeated, and my voice was dangerously low. “Marlene, you were the one who said Chloe needed to spend time with people who could add value. That I wasn’t good enough for her, that my experiences weren’t enriching.”
I stepped forward just enough to make her still. “I’m not the one who pushed her away. You are.”
Marlene opened her mouth to protest, but I continued before she could speak.