My question is for Cindy, "In hindsight, what would you have differently."
A relatively simple question on the surface.
But one that with a moment of soul searching honesty would tell us so much.
Just that one moment of brutal honesty.
Is the answer that she would have intervened with a much younger Casey? Dealt with her in a much harsher, structured, not enabling way? That would tell me that Cindy's deepest guilt is related to failing Casey, to Cindy failing as a mother.
Is the answer that she would have divorced George before she came to believe that it was financially impossible? That would tell me that Cindy's deepest guilt is subjecting her children to a toxic relationship, and that she holds George largely responsible for the condition of the family.
Is the answer that she would have allowed Casey to terminate the pregnancy or place Caylee for adoption? That would tell me that her deepest guilt is tied to allowing her own selfish desire to know her grandchild to come before the wellbeing of her grandchild. It would tell me that Cindy realizes the most loving thing she ever could have done for Caylee, if she believes her actions were motivated out of love, would have been to sacrifice knowing her.
Is the answer that she would have gone for custody fast and aggressively? That would tell me that she believes her daughter is a lost cause, unsalvagable, and that her greatest guilt is not acknowledging that to the world and protecting Caylee.
Is the answer still rooted in the path of least resistance and what she would have done differently was not make Casey come home to watch her child, to not force her into a caretaking role, to not have complained about raising a child that she did not have? That would tell me that her deepest guilt is that she did not manage the situation in a way that resulted in the family remaining "intact". As intact as it ever was going to be.
Or the most frightening answer and the one I think is the real answer, I wouldn't have called 911 that night. That would tell me that her deepest regret is giving up control. That what really keeps Cindy awake at night is knowing that she picked up that phone, that she invited the police into her home, that she relinquished control for one moment and begged for help. A moment that was totally within her control. George didn't call, Lee didn't tell her to call. There was no other input, no one else to blame. The ramifications of that decision all fall squarely at her feet. And they are the result of going against what she believes. Keep family problems hidden, don't ask for help, maintain control at all times.
Calling 911, that is the moment that I think haunts her the most.