To Tell or Not To Tell

That is the question.
Who do we tell?
How much of the truth do we tell?
Or do we just make some shit up and hope it sticks?
I want to protect my baby. (Doesn't every mother?) But living in a close family who gossip A LOT it is hard to decide.
Only a few of us were at the hearing and M only told one person, so fortunately only a few of us know the details. We don't want to make some family announcement and say "Hey M did all of this terrible stuff and is in prison for it" That would be bad. Judgement would be swift and harsh. We are already the black sheep in the family and it would ostracise us even more. It is less about us and more about M. We don't want him to come home to no family left.
So what to do?
His grandfather thinks its a mistake to not tell people something. Hubby has said the same. So we tell our small group a short version and they are supportive and offering prayers. We could really use those prayers. We finally decide we might just need to tell the family the short version if they ask. Today I get a message for my mother in law who had thought we should tell, all of a sudden she does not want to tell.
Sigh.
Honestly, I am at the point that I just don't care. Tell them don't tell them. Let the bricks fall how they may.
I am tired.
I just want to hear from M. I just want a phone call or a letter. Anything. I don't care anymore who knows. I just don't.