Chapter 6
Ryan stared at his phone.
The screen lit up with Diane's name.
"Don't answer it," I said.
Ryan hesitated.
Then he pressed decline.
He put the phone in his pocket.
"Good," I said.
Noah looked up from his dinosaur.
"Was that Grandma?" he asked.
His voice small.
"Yes, buddy," Ryan said.
He crouched down to Noah's level.
"But we don't need to talk to her right now. Okay?"
Noah nodded.
But he looked worried.
"Is she going to come here?" he asked.
My heart clenched.
"No, baby," I said.
"She can't hurt you here. We won't let her."
We got in the car.
Ryan was quiet on the drive home.
His jaw tight.
When we got home, Noah went to play in his room.
Ryan and I sat at the kitchen table.
"She's going to keep calling," Ryan said.
"She won't stop until she gets what she wants."
"Then we block her number," I said.
"And get a restraining order."
Ryan nodded.
"Detective Martinez said the same thing. We can file for an emergency order of protection. Since there are criminal charges pending."
"Let's do it," I said.
"Today."
Ryan's phone buzzed again.
A text.
Then another.
And another.
He pulled out his phone.
His face darkened as he read.
"What does she want?" I asked.
Ryan showed me the screen.
The texts were frantic.
*"Ryan, answer your phone."*
*"Don't do this to me, I'm your mother."*
*"That child is lying. Sarah put him up to this."*
*"You're going to ruin everything."*
*"Call me now."*
I felt a cold anger.
She wasn't sorry.
She was angry that she'd been caught.
"Block her," I said.
Ryan did.
He blocked her number.
Then he blocked her on social media.
On email.
Every way she could reach us.
But it didn't stop her.
Thirty minutes later, there was a knock at the door.
Ryan looked through the peephole.
His face went white.
"It's her," he said.
My heart started racing.
I ran to Noah's room.
He was playing with his dinosaurs.
"Stay here, baby," I said.
"Lock the door. Don't open it for anyone except Mommy or Daddy."
Noah's eyes went wide.
But he nodded.
I locked his door from the outside.
Then I went back to the front door.
Ryan was standing there.
His hand on the doorknob.
"Don't open it," I said.
"I have to," Ryan said.
"If I don't, she'll just keep coming back. I need to tell her to leave us alone."
"Then I'm coming with you," I said.
Ryan hesitated.
Then he nodded.
He opened the door.
Diane stood on our porch.
Her hair was a mess.
Her face red and puffy.
Like she'd been crying.
Or screaming.
"Ryan!" she said.
She tried to push past him.
Ryan blocked her.
"Mom, you need to leave," he said.
His voice steady.
Diane looked at him like he'd slapped her.
"How can you do this to me?" she said.
"Your own mother. That woman has turned you against me."
She pointed at me.
Her finger shaking with rage.
"Sarah has done nothing," Ryan said.
"I know what you did. To Noah. And you know what? I remember now. What you did to me when I was little. The hitting. The yelling. The fear."
Diane's face twisted.
"I did what was necessary!" she shouted.
"You were a difficult child! You needed discipline!"
"You needed help," Ryan said.
His voice cracking.
"And now Noah needs protection. From you. So I'm telling you. Leave. And never come near my son again. Or my wife. Or me."
Diane stared at him.
For a moment, I thought she might hit him too.
Then she laughed.
A bitter, angry sound.
"You'll regret this," she said.
"You all will."
She turned and walked to her car.
She got in.
Sped away.
Tires screeching.
Ryan closed the door.
He locked it.
Then he leaned against it.
His body shaking.
I went to him.
I put my arms around him.
"You did good," I said.
"You were so brave."
Ryan held me tight.
"I was terrified," he whispered.
"I know," I said.
"But you did it anyway. That's what makes you brave."
We called Detective Martinez.
Told her Diane had shown up at our house.
She said she'd send a patrol car.
And she'd expedite the restraining order.
That night, we slept in Noah's room.
All three of us.
Noah in the middle.
Ryan and I on either side.
Protecting him.
From the world.
May you like
From his grandmother.
From the fear that had haunted him for too long.
