Chapter 5 - The Papers They Forged
Brian called again that afternoon.
This time, Susan told me to answer on speaker.
His voice came through angry, not afraid.
“Dad, what the hell are you doing?”
I looked through the glass at Lily sleeping.
“You left your daughter sick in a house alone.”
“She’s dramatic.”
“You locked Mason in a closet.”
“He wouldn’t calm down.”
“You left a note telling me not to call anyone.”
Silence.
Then Marissa grabbed the phone.
“You have no idea what we deal with. Lily manipulates everyone. She wants attention because she’s adopted.”
Mason flinched beside me.
I stood and walked a few steps away, not because I feared Marissa, but because Mason did not need every poison sentence entering his body again.
“You will not speak about my granddaughter like that.”
“She’s not even—”
I cut her off.
“Finish that sentence, and it will be the last thing you ever say to me.”
Brian came back on the line.
“You can’t keep our kids from us.”
“No,” I said. “But the court can.”
He laughed once.
A brittle sound.
“Dad, don’t do this. We’re family.”
I looked at Mason.
At the blanket around his shoulders.
At the dead tablet that had somehow saved him.
“No,” I said. “Family came when Lily called.”
Then I ended the call.
By evening, emergency protection orders were underway.
The Disney trip ended early.
May you like
Not because they missed their children.
Because the police were waiting when they landed.
