Chapter 7
I went back to school on Monday.
I was nervous.
Really nervous.
Daddy drove me.
He parked near the entrance and turned toward me.
"Ready, princess?"
I stared at the school building.
My stomach hurt.
"What if people know?"
Daddy frowned.
"Know what?"
"About Derek."
His expression softened.
"You don't have to tell anyone anything you don't want to."
I nodded.
Then asked, "What if somebody asks?"
"You can say your family is handling a private situation."
I thought about that.
It sounded like something a grown-up would say.
I tried repeating it.
"My family is handling a private situation."
Daddy smiled.
"Perfect."
I took a breath.
Then he hugged me.
"I'll be here after school."
I nodded.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
I climbed out of the car.
My purple backpack felt heavier than usual.
But when I entered the classroom, my best friend Olivia ran toward me.
"MAYA!"
I smiled.
"Hi!"
She hugged me.
"Where were you?"
I hesitated.
Then remembered Daddy's words.
"My family is handling a private situation."
Olivia blinked.
"That sounds serious."
I shrugged.
"A little."
She looked at me.
"Are you okay?"
I thought about the question.
Then nodded.
"Getting better."
She smiled.
"Good. We saved your seat."
I felt a little warmth in my chest.
For the first time in days, I remembered what normal life felt like.
Math homework.
Spelling tests.
Recess.
Friends.
A world where people weren't always angry.
At lunch, Olivia offered me half her cookie.
I smiled.
"Thanks."
She grinned.
"You're welcome."
Then something strange happened.
I started crying.
Not loudly.
Just a few tears.
Olivia looked frightened.
"What's wrong?"
I wiped my cheeks.
"Nothing."
But it wasn't nothing.
I suddenly remembered Grandma telling Derek to let go.
The sound of the plate I'd dropped near the staircase.
The pounding on my bedroom door.
All because I had accepted a cookie.
I felt silly.
But I couldn't stop crying.
My teacher, Mrs. Carter, noticed.
She came beside me.
"Maya, sweetheart, would you like to step outside?"
I nodded.
We sat on a bench near the classroom.
She didn't demand an explanation.
She simply handed me a tissue.
I wiped my face.
Then whispered, "Sometimes I remember bad things."
Mrs. Carter nodded gently.
"That can happen after something frightening."
I looked up.
"Does it mean I'm weird?"
She shook her head.
"No."
I swallowed.
She continued.
"Sometimes your mind needs time to understand that you're safe again."
I thought about that.
Then asked, "Will it stop?"
She smiled kindly.
"Many people find that the memories become less upsetting with support and time."
I nodded.
I liked Mrs. Carter.
She never made me feel foolish.
She suggested I speak with the school counselor whenever I needed help.
I agreed.
By the end of the day, I felt a little better.
When Daddy picked me up, I ran toward him.
He opened his arms.
"Hey, princess!"
I hugged him.
Then told him about Olivia.
The cookie.
The tears.
And Mrs. Carter.
Daddy listened carefully.
Then said, "I'm proud of you for telling someone how you felt."
I smiled.
"Really?"
"Really."
On the drive home, he told me Grandma's house was being secured.
The disputed financing hadn't gone through.
And the police were investigating the documents.
I didn't understand every word.
But I understood the important part.
Grandma wasn't losing her home.
At least not because of those papers.
I smiled.
"Can she go back?"
Daddy nodded.
"When it's safe and she's ready."
I felt relieved.
Then I asked about Mom.
"Can she come over tonight?"
Daddy smiled gently.
"Yes. We've arranged dinner."
My heart jumped.
"Really?"
He nodded.
I started smiling so hard my cheeks hurt.
That evening, Mom arrived carrying my favorite takeout.
Chicken.
Rice.
And sweet plantains.
I ran toward her.
"MOMMY!"
She hugged me.
Then kissed my forehead.
"I missed you."
I grinned.
"I missed you too."
We ate together.
Daddy.
Mom.
And me.
At first, it felt awkward.
My parents hadn't shared dinner like that in a long time.
But then Daddy told a ridiculous joke.
Mom laughed.
And I started laughing too.
For one beautiful moment, I wished everything could stay exactly that way.
After dinner, Mom asked whether we could talk.
We sat on the couch.
She looked serious.
"Maya, I need to tell you something."
My stomach tightened.
"What?"
She took a breath.
"Derek and I are separating."
I stared at her.
"Forever?"
Mom hesitated.
"I'm taking legal steps to end the marriage."
I didn't know what to say.
Part of me felt relieved.
Another part remembered Derek teaching me basketball.
The ice cream.
The moments when he was kind.
I looked down.
"Is it okay if I feel sad?"
Mom's eyes filled.
"Of course."
I swallowed.
"Even though he scared us?"
She nodded.
"Yes, sweetheart."
I felt better.
Then she said something important.
"I also want you to know I'm working with Daddy and the people helping our family to make sure you're safe."
I looked at her.
"Does that mean I can stay with Daddy?"
Mom took a slow breath.
"For now, yes."
I felt relieved.
Then she continued.
"And we're going to make decisions about the future with help from the court and the professionals involved."
I nodded.
For once, she wasn't telling me everything would magically be okay.
She was telling me the truth.
I appreciated that.
Later, after Mom left, Daddy tucked me into bed.
I looked at him.
"Daddy?"
"Yes?"
"Are you and Mommy friends now?"
He smiled faintly.
"We're working on treating each other with respect."
I considered that.
Then smiled.
"That's good."
He kissed my forehead.
"Good night, princess."
"Good night."
I turned toward the wall.
Then remembered something.
"Daddy?"
He turned.
"Yes?"
"Do you think Grandma knows I love her?"
His expression softened.
"Absolutely."
I smiled.
"Good."
The next morning, Uncle Raymond called.
Daddy put him on speaker.
His voice sounded excited.
"Marcus, we've got good news!"
I sat straighter.
"What?"
Raymond laughed.
"Grandma's house is safe!"
I squealed.
"REALLY?"
Daddy smiled.
"Really, princess."
The bank had confirmed that the disputed financing wouldn't proceed.
The questionable documents were being addressed.
And additional protections were being arranged.
I didn't understand every detail.
But I understood that Derek hadn't succeeded.
Grandma's house still belonged to Grandma.
I jumped up and down.
Then Daddy hugged me.
He was smiling.
But his eyes were wet.
I looked at him.
"Why are you crying?"
He laughed softly.
"Happy tears."
I grinned.
"Like when I got my school award?"
He nodded.
"Exactly."
Then his phone rang again.
This time, it was Patricia.
Daddy answered.
His smile slowly disappeared.
I watched his face.
He listened.
Then nodded.
"Thank you for letting me know."
When he ended the call, I asked, "What happened?"
Daddy sat beside me.
His expression was serious.
"The investigation found more information about Derek's plans."
My stomach tightened.
"What plans?"
He hesitated.
Then said, "He may have been trying to use Grandma's house to pay debts he never told anyone about."
I stared at him.
I remembered Derek's angry phone calls.
The way he shouted about money.
The way Grandma cried.
Then Daddy added something unexpected.
"Another person may have helped him prepare the documents."
My heart began pounding.
"Who?"
Daddy shook his head.
"The authorities are still investigating."
I nodded.
But I couldn't stop thinking about the yellow folder.
About Derek's phone calls.
And about the name Robert.
May you like
Because if another person had been helping Derek, the truth was even bigger than we'd imagined.
And I wanted to know whether that person had ever been inside our house.
