Chapter 4
Eleven months.
I kept seeing that number.
Nearly a year of my daughter typing my name and stopping before pressing send.
I had spoken to her during those months.
Birthdays.
Dinners.
Family gatherings.
She always smiled.
Julian always stood near her.
Now I understood why.
I opened the oldest draft.
Dad, Julian says Ethan is the reason I’m weak.
I stopped.
Evelyn whispered, “Don’t.”
I looked at her.
“Why?”
“Because I wrote things when I was upset.”
Julian had trained her well.
Even alone, she defended him against her own words.
I kept reading.
He says I use Ethan to avoid being a proper wife. He says if I tell you, you’ll take me home and prove I’m still a child.
My chest tightened.
I looked at Evelyn.
“He made asking for help feel childish.”
She did not answer.
I continued.
Another draft.
Dad, he took my keys again.
Another.
Dad, he said if I leave with Ethan he’ll tell everyone I’m unstable.
Another.
Dad, I’m sorry.
That one broke something.
Sorry for what?
I looked at her.
“Why were you apologizing?”
She started crying.
“I don’t know.”
Julian laughed quietly behind the guard.
I turned.
“Of course you do.”
He looked at me.
“You taught her she should.”
His face hardened.
“I taught her responsibility.”
“No.”
My voice stayed calm.
“You taught her every bad thing in this house somehow started with her.”
Evelyn looked away.
Ethan climbed onto the small laundry bench.
He held one cracker from the emergency box.
“Mommy eats these when Daddy says no dinner.”
Silence.
Julian’s face changed.
I looked at Evelyn.
She did not deny it.
I felt rage rise and pushed it back down.
Because if I exploded, Julian would use it.
See?
Arthur is dangerous.
Arthur ruins everything.
I crouched beside my grandson instead.
“How often?”
Ethan thought.
“When Mommy talks back.”
Julian snapped, “Enough.”
I looked at him.
“No.”
May you like
For the first time that night, I almost smiled.
“Not even close.”
