Chapter 1 - MOVE AWAY FROM HER
“Let my sister go!”
Daniel heard his son before he got his key out of the lock.
Not the usual shouting over a toy. Not the loud, silly voice Owen used when he chased his little sister around the couch.
This was a scream.
Daniel shoved the door open.
Lily was on the floor near the stairs, one sock missing, her small hands sliding across the wood. Rachel stood behind her, holding a fistful of her hair.
Owen was between them.
Eight years old. Barefoot. Crying so hard he could barely speak.
He had both hands wrapped around his aunt’s wrist.
“Stop! You’re hurting her!”
Rachel grabbed his arm.
“I told you to move.”
Daniel dropped his work bag.
“What are you doing?”
Rachel turned. Her fingers opened.
Lily scrambled away, but she didn’t run toward Daniel.
She crawled behind her brother.
That hurt him in a place he couldn’t name.
For a second, nobody spoke.
Then Rachel started explaining.
“She slipped. I was trying to keep her from hitting the stairs, and Owen got confused.”
Daniel looked at his son’s arm.
Four red marks were already appearing above his elbow.
“Step away from them.”
“Daniel, seriously—”
“Now.”
Rachel backed toward the kitchen, lifting both hands like he was being unreasonable.
He crouched.
“Owen. Buddy. Look at me.”
His son kept watching Rachel.
Daniel moved sideways until his body blocked her from view.
“Are you hurt?”
Owen shook his head too quickly.
Lily clung to the back of his shirt.
Daniel held out his arms. “Come here, sweetheart.”
She started toward him, then stopped.
Her eyes flicked past his shoulder.
Rachel sighed.
“Oh, for God’s sake. You’re making this worse.”
Daniel stood.
“Get your purse.”
“You’re throwing me out over a tantrum?”
“Get your purse. Leave my house.”
Rachel was his late wife’s younger sister. For seven months, she had packed lunches, handled school pickup, and told him the children needed firm routines.
For seven months, he had thanked her.
Now she stared at him as if gratitude were a debt he had failed to pay.
“You have no idea what they’re like when you’re gone.”
Daniel opened the front door.
“Then you won’t have to deal with them again.”
She left hard enough to rattle the glass.
Only after he locked the door did Owen’s knees give out.
Daniel caught him.
Lily pressed against them, shaking.
He gathered both children onto the bottom step and waited until Owen could breathe.
Then he asked the question he would remember for the rest of his life.
“What happens here when I’m not home?”
May you like
Owen looked at the locked door.
“Do you want the little things,” he whispered, “or the thing she said would get you taken away?”
