Chapter 2
"How many times?"
Dad's voice was barely audible.
I stared at him.
My heart hammered against my ribs.
Mom was standing behind him, perfectly still.
I knew that expression.
She was waiting to see how much I would tell.
"Maya," Dad whispered, "what do you mean this isn't the first time?"
I opened my mouth.
Nothing came out.
Then Mom spoke.
"Marcus, she's upset. You cannot take everything she says literally."
Dad turned toward her.
"Don't."
She blinked.
"Excuse me?"
"Don't tell me what my daughter means."
Mom folded her arms.
"Our daughter."
He stared at her.
"Then why did you just hit her?"
She looked away.
Lily was still on the floor.
I noticed the water spreading toward her shoes.
Dad noticed too.
He helped her stand and guided her away from the broken glass.
"Are you injured?"
Lily shook her head.
"No."
He looked toward me.
"Maya, come sit down."
I followed him into the family room.
Mom tried to follow.
Dad stopped her.
"Denise, stay in the kitchen."
Her face hardened.
"This is ridiculous."
"Please."
Something about his voice made her stop.
Dad helped me sit on the sofa.
Lily sat beside me.
For several seconds, we didn't speak.
Then Dad crouched in front of us.
"Girls, I need to understand what's been happening."
I looked at Lily.
She looked frightened.
Dad followed my gaze.
"You're both safe to tell me."
I swallowed.
"Mom gets angry."
He nodded slowly.
"Okay."
"Sometimes really angry."
His expression tightened.
I stared at my hands.
"If I make a mistake, she says I'm doing it on purpose."
Dad waited.
"Like when I broke that picture frame last month."
He frowned.
"The one in the hallway?"
I nodded.
He remembered.
Of course he did.
Mom had told him I'd thrown it during an argument.
I'd been grounded for a week.
The truth was different.
I'd knocked it off the table while carrying laundry.
Mom had grabbed my arm, shouted at me, and demanded that I admit I'd broken it deliberately.
When I refused, she'd locked my phone away.
Later, she told Dad I'd been disrespectful.
He'd believed her.
I told him everything.
His face slowly changed.
"Maya, why didn't you tell me?"
My eyes filled.
"I tried."
He looked confused.
"When?"
"The night it happened."
He hesitated.
Then I reminded him.
I'd called while he was attending a business conference.
Mom answered my phone before I could speak to him.
Later, she told me Dad was disappointed in me.
Dad closed his eyes.
"I never said that."
I looked up.
"She said you did."
His voice cracked.
"I didn't."
I swallowed.
"She said if I kept making trouble, you'd send me to live with Grandma."
Dad covered his mouth.
Lily suddenly began crying.
I turned toward her.
"Lily?"
She wiped her face.
"Mom told me that too."
Dad looked at her.
"What?"
Lily stared at the floor.
"She said Maya would ruin the family if I kept defending her."
My chest tightened.
Dad moved closer.
"Sweetheart, did she ever ask you to lie?"
Lily hesitated.
Then nodded.
I felt cold.
"About what?"
She looked toward me.
"The picture frame."
My stomach dropped.
Lily continued.
"Mom told me to say Maya threw it."
Dad stared.
"Did you?"
Lily shook her head.
"No."
Tears rolled down her face.
"I'm sorry, Maya."
I reached for her hand.
She pulled back slightly.
"I wanted to tell you."
My throat closed.
"Then why didn't you?"
She looked toward the kitchen.
"Because Mom said she'd stop paying for my dance lessons."
I felt something break inside me.
Lily loved dancing.
It was the one thing that made her feel confident.
Mom knew that.
And she'd used it against her.
Dad stood slowly.
His face had gone pale.
"I need a minute."
He walked toward the window.
I watched him press one hand against the glass.
Then he took a deep breath.
When he turned back, his eyes were wet.
"Neither of you should have been carrying this."
I started crying.
He came closer.
"May I hug you?"
I nodded.
He wrapped his arms around me.
I held on tightly.
For the first time in months, I felt like I could breathe.
Then Dad turned toward Lily.
She stood immediately.
He hugged her too.
"I'm sorry you were frightened into keeping secrets."
She sobbed against his shoulder.
For several minutes, we stayed together.
Then Mom appeared in the doorway.
Her expression was cold.
"Are we finished with this performance?"
Dad slowly released Lily.
I felt my stomach tighten.
Mom looked directly at me.
"You've always been dramatic."
Dad stepped forward.
"Denise."
She ignored him.
"You know exactly how to make your father feel sorry for you."
I flinched.
Dad noticed.
His expression hardened.
"Stop speaking to her."
Mom laughed bitterly.
"She's turning you against me."
"No," Dad said quietly. "I'm listening to my daughters."
Mom folded her arms.
"Fine. Listen to them."
Then she pointed at me.
"Ask Maya about the money."
My stomach dropped.
"What money?"
Mom smiled.
"The money missing from my jewelry drawer."
I stared at her.
I'd never taken anything from her drawer.
Dad looked confused.
"Denise, what are you talking about?"
She crossed her arms.
"Five thousand dollars disappeared last week."
I shook my head.
"I didn't take it!"
Mom looked at Dad.
"See? She denies everything."
I felt tears rise again.
Then Lily suddenly stood.
"Mom, stop!"
Everyone froze.
My sister was trembling.
But her voice was clear.
"Maya didn't take your money."
Mom's face changed.
"Lily, sit down."
"No!"
Dad looked toward her.
"Lily?"
She swallowed.
Then whispered something that made the room go silent.
"I saw Mom put the money in Maya's closet."
My entire body went cold.
May you like
Dad slowly turned toward Denise.
And for the first time, my mother looked genuinely terrified.
