Chapter 2 - “THEY NEED TO SEE HOW YOU ACT”
I did not confront anyone.
That was the hardest thing I did all afternoon.
Instead, I took out my phone and opened a message to my friend Rachel.
Call me in five minutes. Say it’s urgent.
Then I kept sitting.
Denise wandered closer.
“You two are awfully quiet.”
Eli stared at his plate.
I smiled.
“Just eating.”
That seemed to irritate her.
She looked at the untouched strip of gristle.
“He’s not eating.”
“He’s not hungry.”
My mother snapped from behind her:
“Then maybe Clara feeds him junk all day.”
Another camera angle.
Another accusation.
Food.
Neglect.
Temper.
Poverty.
The pieces were beginning to form a shape.
Rachel called.
I answered.
“What?”
I listened to absolutely nothing for three seconds.
Then widened my eyes.
“Okay. I’m coming.”
I stood.
“Sorry. Rachel has an emergency.”
Denise’s expression changed.
“What emergency?”
“Personal.”
Mom stepped toward me.
“You can’t leave now.”
I looked at her.
“Why?”
She recovered instantly.
“Because Eli wanted to spend time with family.”
Eli stood beside me.
“I want to go with Mom.”
Diane looked at him sharply.
Then smiled.
“Of course you do.”
The sweetness in her voice frightened me more than the insult about the meat.
I picked up Eli’s backpack.
We walked toward the side gate.
Nobody stopped us.
But as I opened it, I heard Denise mutter:
“Well, that was useless.”
I kept walking.
Didn’t turn.
Didn’t breathe normally until Eli and I were inside my car with the doors locked.
Then I looked at him.
“Tell me everything.”
May you like
He started crying.
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