Chapter 2
I had never seen Denise look frightened before.
Angry?
Yes.
Offended?
Constantly.
But frightened?
Never.
Now she stared at my phone as though it were something dangerous.
"Marcus, you don't understand."
"Then help me understand."
I turned the screen toward her again.
One passenger.
A ten-year-old girl.
A car scheduled to arrive before sunrise.
And a destination nobody had discussed with me.
"Why did you arrange transportation for Lily without telling me?"
Denise swallowed.
"I was trying to help."
"Help who?"
"Everyone."
I almost laughed.
But Lily was standing beside me, gripping my hand so tightly that her little fingers trembled.
There was nothing funny about this.
"Where were you sending her?"
Denise glanced toward Jordan.
"Can we discuss this privately?"
"No."
"Marcus."
"No, Denise. You don't get to make secret arrangements involving my daughter and then decide when I'm allowed to ask questions."
Jordan suddenly spoke.
"Mom, what's going on?"
Denise turned sharply.
"Go upstairs."
He didn't move.
"Was Lily supposed to leave tomorrow?"
"Jordan, I said upstairs."
His face hardened.
"Answer me."
The room became painfully quiet.
I could feel Lily pressing closer to my leg.
I knelt beside her.
"Sweetheart, I need you to sit in the kitchen for a few minutes. I'll be right here."
"Am I going somewhere?"
"No."
"Promise?"
I looked directly into her eyes.
"I promise."
Jordan gently offered his hand.
"Come on, Lily. I'll stay with you."
She hesitated before following him.
When they were out of earshot, I faced Denise.
"Now talk."
She dropped onto the sofa.
"I contacted someone in Charlotte who said Alicia could use a temporary place for Lily."
"Someone?"
"A family accommodation service."
"What service?"
Denise rubbed her forehead.
"I don't remember the name."
"Show me."
"I deleted the emails."
I stared at her.
"Why?"
"Because I knew you'd overreact."
That answer told me more than she intended.
I called the transportation company.
The representative confirmed the canceled reservation.
Denise had listed herself as the booking contact.
She had provided my address, Lily's name, and an unfamiliar destination.
But she had not supplied documentation showing that she had authority to make decisions for Lily.
The representative explained that an adult would have needed to accompany her before the company could complete the journey.
That was a small relief.
Not enough.
I asked for copies of the booking information to be sent to my email.
Then I called Alicia.
She answered after three rings.
"Marcus? Is Lily okay?"
"She's safe. But I need to ask you something."
My voice must have frightened her.
"What's wrong?"
"Did Denise arrange for Lily to stay somewhere in Charlotte?"
Silence.
Then Alicia said something that made my stomach twist.
"Denise told me you wanted Lily to spend the summer with me."
I closed my eyes.
"What?"
"She called last week. Said Lily was becoming difficult and you needed some time away."
I felt physically sick.
"That's a lie."
Alicia inhaled sharply.
"Marcus, she said you didn't want to discuss it directly."
"I never said that."
"She also asked whether I knew any temporary housing programs because my work assignment would keep me away."
I sat down.
Denise had been planning this for longer than I realized.
"Did you agree to anything?"
"Absolutely not. I told her Lily couldn't stay with me while I was away."
"Did she mention an address?"
"No. Marcus, what happened?"
I told her.
Not everything.
Just enough.
By the end, Alicia was furious.
"I'm coming tomorrow."
"You don't have to cancel your work."
"That's my daughter too."
I couldn't argue.
We agreed to speak again that evening.
When I ended the call, Denise was standing near the staircase.
"You're making me look like a monster."
I looked at her in disbelief.
"You told Alicia I wanted to send my daughter away."
"I thought a break would help your marriage."
"Our marriage?"
"You've been so focused on Lily that Jordan and I barely get your attention."
I stared at her.
For years, I had worked long hours to give both children a comfortable life.
I attended Jordan's basketball games.
I helped him with math.
I bought him his first bike.
I never thought of him as someone else's responsibility.
Yet Denise seemed to believe loving Lily meant I was taking something from Jordan.
"Jordan has never been excluded from this family," I said.
"That's because I make sure of it."
"No. It's because I care about him."
She looked away.
I walked toward the kitchen.
Jordan and Lily were sitting at the table.
A half-finished glass of milk stood in front of my daughter.
Jordan had given her one of his cookies.
When Lily saw me, she ran into my arms.
"Is Denise sending me away?"
"No, sweetheart."
"She said I might have to go."
I froze.
"When did she say that?"
Lily looked frightened.
"Last Tuesday."
I sat beside her.
"What exactly did she say?"
"She told me big girls sometimes have to live somewhere else when families get too crowded."
My throat tightened.
"Did she say anything more?"
Lily nodded.
"She said if I loved you, I wouldn't make things hard for you."
Jordan looked up.
"She told you that?"
Lily nodded again.
His expression changed.
I had never seen that look on his face.
Not toward his mother.
"That's messed up," he whispered.
I put my arm around Lily.
"Listen carefully. You are not a burden. You are my daughter. This is your home."
She leaned against me.
"Even if Denise doesn't want me?"
"Even then."
I looked at Jordan.
"And you belong here too."
He nodded, but something troubled him.
"Mr. Marcus?"
"Yeah?"
"Mom told me something different about the vacation."
I waited.
He stared at the table.
"She said you were the one who decided Lily couldn't come."
A terrible silence followed.
Then he reached into his hoodie pocket.
"I didn't believe her."
He pulled out his phone.
"So I recorded what she said the next time."
My heart began pounding.
"Jordan, what did she say?"
May you like
He opened a video.
And pressed play.
